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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. current — happening now
  4. cap — of ice
  5. roll — a list
  6. cap — a lid
  7. current — of water
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mug — a cup
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cap — a hat
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rest — what's left
  20. current — electric
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rest — a break
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rest — what's left

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