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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. current — happening now
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. ball — a great time
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. object — an aim
  13. ball — a dance
  14. dip — to sink
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cell — a phone
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. cell — in biology
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bore — to tire
  24. object — to protest

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