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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — in cards
  5. field — for sport
  6. field — a subject
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. field — farmland
  11. wake — a trail
  12. suit — to fit
  13. current — electric
  14. rule — government
  15. rest — what's left
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rule — a law
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rest — a break
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wake — before a funeral

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