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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. court — for sport
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. face — to point toward
  8. band — a ring
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. face — part of the head
  11. toast — bread
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. band — a music group
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. current — happening now
  16. dip — to sink
  17. face — to confront
  18. current — of water
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. court — of a king
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. court — of law

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