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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. current — electric
  4. dip — to sink
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stand — to bear
  9. suit — clothes
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. suit — in cards
  14. season — in sport
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. band — a ring
  17. suit — to fit
  18. band — a music group
  19. track — a path
  20. current — happening now
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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