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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mark — a grade
  4. date — the fruit
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. current — happening now
  10. perch — the fish
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. current — electric
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — of ice
  16. suit — to fit
  17. current — of water
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cap — a hat
  20. suit — clothes
  21. saw — the tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mark — a trace
  24. suit — in cards

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