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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bass — the fish
  7. mate — to breed
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bass — low music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. current — of water
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rash — hasty
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cue — for pool
  23. rash — a series
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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