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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. current — electric
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. wake — a trail
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rock — music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. current — of water
  14. present — there
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. fine — all right
  18. present — a gift
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fine — high quality
  21. ball — a dance
  22. current — happening now
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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