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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. net — in sport
  4. mug — a cup
  5. current — of water
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. current — happening now
  14. mug — a face
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. current — electric
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. wake — a trail
  24. racket — a loud noise

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