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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. saw — the tool
  5. board — to get on
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. board — a committee
  12. saw — the tool
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. content — the amount
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. content — happy
  19. fine — high quality
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. current — happening now
  22. fine — all right
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. jam — a tight spot

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