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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. lean — thin
  8. cue — a hint
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. current — electric
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. current — of water
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rush — hurry
  17. current — happening now
  18. cue — a signal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mine — for digging
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lean — to bend
  24. dip — a sauce

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