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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. can — to be able to
  3. current — of water
  4. can — a tin
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. chip — for betting
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. current — electric
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. band — a music group
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. current — happening now
  24. band — a ring

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