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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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pit — in a race
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — to tease
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. sharp — clever
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pit — a hole
  11. current — electric
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. present — there
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. current — happening now
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. ruler — a monarch

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