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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lean — to bend
  5. current — happening now
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lean — thin
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cold — an illness
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. current — of water
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. craft — a skill
  24. current — electric

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