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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. track — a path
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pitch — completely
  8. object — to protest
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. object — a thing
  12. track — to keep track
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mug — a face
  18. object — an aim
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. mug — a cup
  22. current — happening now
  23. track — a song
  24. mine — belonging to me

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