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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rash — hasty
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — happening now
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. drill — the tool
  10. shower — to wash
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. shower — rain
  17. current — of water
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. current — electric
  20. dip — to sink
  21. drill — army training
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — a practice

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