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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 124 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. current — of water
  3. date — the fruit
  4. current — electric
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. fall — to drop
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. current — happening now
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bass — low music
  20. fall — the season
  21. rest — what's left
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. coach — a trainer

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