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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. current — electric
  3. degree — from a university
  4. rest — what's left
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rest — a break
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. file — a document
  10. current — of water
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. degree — an amount
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rest — what's left
  21. file — a tool
  22. degree — temperature
  23. current — happening now
  24. leaves — lets stay

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