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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 116 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. current — electric
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cap — a lid
  6. kid — child
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. current — happening now
  11. can — a tin
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. current — of water
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mark — a grade
  17. kid — to tease
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bass — low music
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — with your hand

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