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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. band — a music group
  3. current — of water
  4. band — a ring
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. current — electric
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pitch — completely
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. cell — in biology
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. current — happening now
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rash — hasty

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