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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 120 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. firm — decided
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. wound — an injury
  9. sharp — clever
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. current — happening now
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wound — an injury
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. dip — to sink
  19. current — electric
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. firm — a company
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pitcher — a jug

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