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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. spell — a short time
  3. march — the month
  4. current — electric
  5. key — in music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mug — a cup
  8. march — the month
  9. mug — a face
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rush — hurry
  13. current — happening now
  14. march — music
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. spell — letters
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. mug — to rob
  23. current — of water
  24. spell — magic

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