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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 120 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. rash — a series
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bulb — for light
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rash — hasty
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. current — electric
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ball — a great time
  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