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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. object — an aim
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. current — happening now
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. dip — to sink
  8. object — to protest
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. current — electric
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bank — of a river
  15. capital — a city
  16. tube — a container
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. current — of water
  19. bank — for money
  20. capital — money
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. tube — the underground
  24. object — a thing

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