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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cold — not warm
  5. current — happening now
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rest — a break
  9. current — of water
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. current — electric
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. cold — an illness
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. can — a tin
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pit — in a race

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