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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. current — happening now
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. band — a ring
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. current — electric
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. current — of water
  16. rush — hurry
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. band — a music group

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