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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. file — a document
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. dip — to sink
  6. firm — steady
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. firm — decided
  12. current — electric
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. file — a tool
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. current — of water
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — a company
  24. pitch — completely

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