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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. dip — to sink
  3. current — electric
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. object — to protest
  6. wake — a trail
  7. current — of water
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — a thing
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lean — thin
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. current — happening now
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. dip — to dunk

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