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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bank — for money
  3. ground — crushed
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. current — of water
  7. wind — moving air
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. ground — a position
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bank — of a river
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bank — for money
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bass — low music
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. lie — to recline

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