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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. object — a thing
  4. content — the amount
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. shower — to wash
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. shower — rain
  10. content — happy
  11. current — of water
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. current — electric
  15. object — to protest
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. object — an aim
  19. deal — to handle
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. dip — to sink
  24. current — happening now

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