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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. current — electric
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. current — of water
  7. field — for sport
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. field — farmland
  12. band — a music group
  13. field — a subject
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. present — a gift
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bear — the animal
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. present — the time now
  20. band — a ring
  21. current — happening now
  22. bear — the animal
  23. present — there
  24. bear — to put up with

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