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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. drill — the tool
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. band — a music group
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. chair — a leader
  8. suit — to fit
  9. band — a ring
  10. drill — army training
  11. suit — in cards
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. season — of the year
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pound — a weight
  21. drill — a practice
  22. suit — clothes
  23. season — in sport
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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