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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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. swing — music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. swing — to play on
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bat — the animal
  8. lean — to bend
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pound — a weight
  12. current — of water
  13. board — to get on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. current — electric
  16. board — a committee
  17. lean — thin
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. current — happening now
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bat — in an idiom

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