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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. current — happening now
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rock — a stone
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pit — in a race
  16. current — of water
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. current — electric
  20. game — a match
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rock — to move gently

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