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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. current — happening now
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. swing — music
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. dip — to sink
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bass — low music
  20. current — electric
  21. date — the fruit
  22. stock — goods
  23. current — of water
  24. bulb — for light

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