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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. dip — to sink
  3. current — happening now
  4. pop — music
  5. current — of water
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. net — for catching
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. net — after costs
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rest — a break
  19. current — electric
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pop — soda
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pop — to visit

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