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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mate — a partner
  3. wake — a trail
  4. suit — clothes
  5. current — happening now
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cell — in biology
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. court — of law
  12. toast — bread
  13. stock — shares
  14. cell — a phone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. current — electric
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. suit — in cards
  21. court — of a king
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stock — goods
  24. court — for sport

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