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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rock — music
  3. bat — the animal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cap — a lid
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. suit — to fit
  14. current — of water
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. current — happening now
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. cap — a hat
  22. current — electric
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wake — a trail

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