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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. key — the most important part
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — for a lock
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. current — electric
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. pound — a weight
  14. key — in music
  15. pit — a hole
  16. dip — to sink
  17. lean — thin
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. charge — electricity
  21. current — happening now
  22. lean — to bend
  23. current — of water
  24. pit — in a race

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