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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ground — a position
  3. staff — employees
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. suit — clothes
  8. current — of water
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. current — electric
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pit — in a race
  18. staff — a stick
  19. current — happening now
  20. ground — crushed
  21. staff — employees
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a lid
  24. ground — the earth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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