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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bat — the animal
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. current — of water
  12. dip — to sink
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. rush — hurry
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. tube — a container
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rock — music

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