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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. current — electric
  3. race — a contest
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. current — of water
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. current — happening now
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. race — the arms race
  14. deal — to handle
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. rule — a law
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. dip — to sink
  22. race — humankind
  23. rule — government
  24. deal — an agreement

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