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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rash — a series
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. bound — certain
  6. current — happening now
  7. drill — the tool
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. drill — army training
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. perch — the fish
  13. drill — a practice
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bound — obliged
  16. board — a committee
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rash — hasty
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bank — of a river
  21. board — to get on
  22. bank — for money
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bank — for money

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