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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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. current — of water
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lean — thin
  5. bank — for money
  6. lie — to recline
  7. current — happening now
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bank — of a river
  13. field — farmland
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bulb — for light
  16. field — a subject
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bank — for money
  20. field — for sport
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lean — to bend
  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