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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. degree — an amount
  3. tube — the underground
  4. current — happening now
  5. ball — a great time
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. tube — a container
  12. degree — temperature
  13. current — electric
  14. pitch — completely
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lean — thin
  17. degree — from a university
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. ball — a dance
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. firm — decided
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lean — to rest against

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