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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. row — to paddle
  8. content — happy
  9. mate — a friend
  10. current — happening now
  11. content — the amount
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. current — electric
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. row — a line
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. dip — to sink
  21. current — of water
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wind — to turn a key

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