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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fine — high quality
  4. suit — clothes
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. tear — to rip
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. tear — from crying
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fine — all right
  22. mark — a trace
  23. squash — the sport
  24. suit — in cards

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