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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pop — to visit
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bulb — for light
  13. current — electric
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pop — soda
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bulb — for light
  18. current — happening now
  19. lean — thin
  20. pop — music
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lean — to bend

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