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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. rest — what's left
  4. scale — in music
  5. firm — a company
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. degree — an amount
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. firm — decided
  11. bore — to tire
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rest — what's left
  18. degree — from a university
  19. firm — steady
  20. toast — bread
  21. degree — temperature
  22. rest — a break
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. scale — size or range

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