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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. deal — to handle
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — the season
  6. cell — in biology
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. current — electric
  10. mug — a cup
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cell — a phone
  16. degree — temperature
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mug — a face
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. spring — of water

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