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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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Word bank
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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. current — electric
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rest — a break
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pitch — completely
  7. land — ground
  8. rest — what's left
  9. land — to come down
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. spring — of water
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spring — a coil
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. current — of water
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. spring — the season
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. land — a country
  23. suit — in cards
  24. current — happening now

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