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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. current — of water
  4. pop — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pit — in a race
  8. current — happening now
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pop — soda
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pop — to visit
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. net — for catching
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. current — electric
  23. net — after costs
  24. pit — a hole

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