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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 120 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. can — a tin
  3. fine — all right
  4. fall — to drop
  5. can — a tin
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cell — a phone
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fall — the season
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — in biology
  17. current — electric
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ball — a great time
  21. current — happening now
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fine — high quality
  24. current — of water

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