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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mug — a face
  3. current — happening now
  4. spell — magic
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. current — of water
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mug — a cup
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mug — to rob
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pit — in a race
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. suit — clothes
  15. current — electric
  16. saw — the tool
  17. suit — in cards
  18. spell — letters
  19. present — a gift
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. suit — to fit
  22. present — there
  23. chip — for betting
  24. present — the time now

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