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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pit — in a race
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mug — a face
  6. file — a tool
  7. last — final
  8. last — finally
  9. current — happening now
  10. last — to go on
  11. rush — hurry
  12. file — a document
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pop — soda
  16. net — after costs
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pop — music
  20. current — of water
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. current — electric
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — for catching

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