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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. land — ground
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. land — a country
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pop — music
  17. suit — in cards
  18. can — to be able to
  19. current — electric
  20. can — a tin
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. land — to come down

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