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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. band — a music group
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. current — electric
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. current — happening now
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chip — for betting
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pitch — completely
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. band — a ring
  24. chip — in a computer

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