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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. dip — to sink
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. deal — to handle
  13. perch — the fish
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. current — electric
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. current — happening now
  20. pound — a weight
  21. tear — from crying
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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