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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. current — of water
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rash — a series
  10. lean — to bend
  11. current — electric
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mark — a grade
  15. current — happening now
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. lean — thin

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