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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. current — happening now
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. degree — an amount
  6. prune — to trim
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. roll — a list
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rush — hurry
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. current — electric
  16. pass — a permit
  17. roll — a cake
  18. degree — temperature
  19. current — of water
  20. degree — from a university
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rush — a thrill

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