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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. track — a path
  6. current — electric
  7. can — a tin
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. toast — bread
  11. can — to be able to
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cell — in biology
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. land — ground
  16. land — a country
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. land — to come down
  19. track — a song
  20. current — of water
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cell — a phone
  23. can — a tin
  24. cell — in a prison

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