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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. perch — the fish
  5. band — a music group
  6. chair — a leader
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. lie — to recline
  17. band — a ring
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. dip — to sink
  22. current — electric
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bowl — a dish

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