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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mate — a friend
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. current — of water
  6. board — to get on
  7. current — happening now
  8. scale — in music
  9. mate — to breed
  10. game — a match
  11. dip — to sink
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rush — hurry
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. current — electric
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fan — a supporter

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