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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rash — hasty
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. present — there
  6. staff — a stick
  7. present — the time now
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. staff — employees
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. staff — employees
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. current — of water
  14. rock — a stone
  15. current — happening now
  16. rock — music
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pitch — completely
  19. current — electric
  20. bass — the fish
  21. present — a gift
  22. dip — to sink
  23. rash — a series
  24. bass — low 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