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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. current — of water
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stand — to bear
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. snap — to click
  15. current — electric
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. current — happening now
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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