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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pop — music
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. current — happening now
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pop — to visit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. dip — to sink
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pop — soda
  13. current — of water
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ball — a great time
  24. current — electric

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