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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bound — obliged
  3. current — of water
  4. bound — tied together
  5. dip — to sink
  6. club — a group
  7. bound — certain
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. current — happening now
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. club — for golf
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. club — for dancing
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. current — electric
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rash — a series

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