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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lie — to recline
  3. current — of water
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. degree — from a university
  8. swing — in golf
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. degree — temperature
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. swing — to play on
  15. dip — to sink
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. degree — an amount
  19. saw — the tool
  20. swing — music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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