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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. object — an aim
  3. chip — to eat
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. object — a thing
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. prune — to trim
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. object — to protest
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. current — electric
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. season — of the year
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. season — in sport
  23. ball — a great time
  24. current — of water

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