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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. chest — a box
  3. current — happening now
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pass — a permit
  9. current — electric
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chest — of your body
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. present — the time now
  17. current — of water
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. present — a gift
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. present — there

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