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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. dip — a sauce
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. suit — in cards
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — clothes
  14. current — happening now
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lie — to recline
  17. current — electric
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. dip — to sink
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pitch — completely
  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