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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. current — of water
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. roll — a list
  9. suit — in cards
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a cake
  14. season — in sport
  15. band — a ring
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. pound — a weight
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. season — of the year

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