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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pitch — completely
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. charge — in control
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bound — tied together
  13. current — electric
  14. mate — a partner
  15. shower — rain
  16. current — of water
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mate — to breed
  19. dip — to sink
  20. charge — a price
  21. bound — certain
  22. charge — electricity
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bound — obliged

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