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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mug — to rob
  10. current — electric
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. current — happening now
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. row — a line
  16. current — of water
  17. season — of the year
  18. pitch — completely
  19. season — in sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. can — to be able to
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. stand — for spectators

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