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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bass — the fish
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. chip — for betting
  8. current — of water
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bass — low music
  12. march — music
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com