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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lie — to recline
  13. ball — a great time
  14. march — music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. current — of water
  17. season — of the year
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. march — the month
  24. fan — a supporter

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