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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · march · fine · mug · jam · hide · saw · current

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. current — of water
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. march — the month
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mug — a face
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. saw — the tool
  16. march — music
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fine — all right
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. march — the month
  24. bowl — a dish

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