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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. current — of water
  4. content — the amount
  5. club — for dancing
  6. track — to keep track
  7. club — for golf
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. dip — to sink
  12. track — a song
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. current — electric
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. track — a path
  19. current — happening now
  20. content — happy
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. club — a group
  24. mate — a partner

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