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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. net — for catching
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. can — a tin
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. dip — to sink
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. game — a match
  17. current — electric
  18. stand — to bear
  19. game — wild animals
  20. net — in sport
  21. current — happening now
  22. net — after costs
  23. can — a tin
  24. deal — to handle

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