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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. current — happening now
  3. ball — a great time
  4. squash — to crush
  5. current — electric
  6. squash — the sport
  7. current — of water
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. degree — an amount
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a dance
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. suit — in cards

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