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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. tube — a container
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. current — of water
  15. pit — a hole
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — final
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. can — to be able to
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. last — finally
  24. bat — the animal

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