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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. content — the amount
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pit — in a race
  5. content — happy
  6. pop — music
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. spell — a short time
  9. wake — a trail
  10. current — happening now
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pop — soda
  17. spell — letters
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. current — electric
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pop — to visit
  22. spell — magic
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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