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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — a lid
  5. charge — in control
  6. current — happening now
  7. tear — from crying
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. charge — a price
  14. rock — music
  15. current — electric
  16. pit — in a race
  17. degree — temperature
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. tear — to rip
  21. degree — from a university
  22. tear — from crying
  23. current — of water
  24. degree — an amount

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