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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rash — a series
  3. current — happening now
  4. march — the month
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. current — of water
  7. rash — hasty
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. march — music
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. current — electric
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lean — to bend
  21. row — to paddle
  22. lean — thin
  23. row — a line
  24. bore — to drill

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