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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bound — obliged
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mark — a trace
  5. snap — to click
  6. dip — to sink
  7. prune — to trim
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. current — happening now
  10. bound — tied together
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bound — certain
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mark — a grade
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. row — to paddle
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mug — a face
  19. prune — to trim
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. current — electric
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. current — of water
  24. row — a quarrel

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