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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. kid — child
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fine — high quality
  6. current — happening now
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. present — a gift
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rock — music
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rash — a series
  17. current — electric
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. present — there
  20. kid — to tease
  21. present — the time now
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. current — of water
  24. fine — all right

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