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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. land — a country
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. scale — in music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mug — a face
  14. ground — the earth
  15. dip — to sink
  16. land — ground
  17. land — to come down
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mug — a cup
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mug — to rob
  22. current — happening now
  23. scale — size or range
  24. sharp — clever

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