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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. date — the fruit
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. object — to protest
  9. rule — a law
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. current — happening now
  12. mark — a grade
  13. object — an aim
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. current — electric
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rule — government
  21. object — a thing
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bear — the animal
  24. jam — in traffic

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