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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. current — of water
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. clip — a video
  6. kid — child
  7. board — to get on
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. current — happening now
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. clip — for paper
  14. pass — a permit
  15. clip — to cut
  16. dip — to sink
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. current — electric
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. kid — to tease
  23. ball — a dance
  24. board — a committee

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