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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cold — not warm
  3. bulb — for light
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. fine — high quality
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — of water
  15. cold — an illness
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. suit — clothes
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pound — a weight

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