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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bank — of a river
  7. current — of water
  8. object — a thing
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. object — to protest
  14. bank — for money
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. current — electric
  18. object — an aim
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bank — for money
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. current — happening now

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