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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. mate — a friend
  7. current — of water
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. land — to come down
  12. staff — a stick
  13. mate — to breed
  14. dip — to sink
  15. land — a country
  16. staff — employees
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. staff — employees
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. current — happening now
  22. land — ground
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ground — crushed

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