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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. march — the month
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. spring — of water
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. current — electric
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. current — happening now
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wake — a trail
  15. spring — a coil
  16. current — of water
  17. march — music
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. march — the month
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — the season

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