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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. perch — the fish
  4. current — of water
  5. land — ground
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. firm — decided
  10. ball — a great time
  11. hand — in cards
  12. firm — steady
  13. current — electric
  14. firm — a company
  15. land — a country
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. hand — help
  21. ball — a dance
  22. land — to come down
  23. current — happening now
  24. dip — a sauce

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