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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. roll — a cake
  4. mine — for digging
  5. current — happening now
  6. dip — to sink
  7. roll — a list
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. object — a thing
  10. pop — music
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. object — to protest
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. pop — to visit
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pass — a permit
  20. tear — from crying
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pop — soda
  23. tear — to rip
  24. object — an aim

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