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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. chip — for betting
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. current — happening now
  6. suit — to fit
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. current — electric
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. fall — to drop
  15. scale — in music
  16. file — a line of people
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fall — the season
  20. rock — music
  21. file — a tool
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fall — to drop
  24. file — a document

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