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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. mine — for digging
  6. current — of water
  7. cap — a lid
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. cap — of ice
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. season — of the year
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. season — in sport
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. hide — to keep secret

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