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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pit — a hole
  4. current — electric
  5. march — the month
  6. cap — a hat
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. march — music
  10. current — of water
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pit — in a race
  16. march — the month
  17. press — a publisher
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cap — of ice
  22. shower — rain
  23. cap — a lid
  24. shower — to wash

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