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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fork — in a road
  3. current — of water
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — to sink
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — an amount
  8. current — electric
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. object — an aim
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. object — to protest
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. current — happening now
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. degree — from a university
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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