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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. current — electric
  6. sharp — clever
  7. scale — in music
  8. lean — thin
  9. scale — size or range
  10. march — the month
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. current — happening now
  13. march — music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. march — the month
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. sharp — exactly

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