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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pound — a weight
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. dip — to sink
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. content — the amount
  7. ball — a great time
  8. content — happy
  9. current — happening now
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. current — electric
  12. prune — to trim
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. ball — a dance
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. spell — letters
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. current — of water

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