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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 116 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pit — a hole
  4. firm — steady
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. key — in music
  7. current — of water
  8. rest — what's left
  9. current — electric
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pit — in a race
  13. current — happening now
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. firm — decided
  18. key — for a lock
  19. firm — a company
  20. rest — a break
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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