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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 120 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 don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. can — a tin
  3. current — of water
  4. degree — an amount
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. degree — temperature
  9. pop — soda
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bank — for money
  13. degree — from a university
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. snap — to click
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pop — music

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