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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — the earth
  4. current — of water
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. ground — a position
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. current — electric
  11. chip — to eat
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. dip — to sink
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. current — happening now
  24. ruler — a monarch

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