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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. current — electric
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. dip — to sink
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. scale — in music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. date — the fruit
  11. march — the month
  12. fine — all right
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — the time now
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. march — the month
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. present — there
  19. fine — high quality
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. march — music
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. present — a gift
  24. scale — size or range

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