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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. row — to paddle
  3. current — happening now
  4. pop — to visit
  5. row — a line
  6. current — of water
  7. suit — in cards
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. rock — a stone
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. firm — decided
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. scale — size or range
  15. spring — a coil
  16. rock — music
  17. pop — music
  18. firm — steady
  19. current — electric
  20. spring — of water
  21. firm — a company
  22. pop — soda
  23. spring — the season
  24. suit — to fit

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