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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · lie · tube · racket · object · row · file · current

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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 sink
  4. object — an aim
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. row — a line
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — of water
  10. lie — to recline
  11. object — to protest
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. object — a thing
  16. file — a line of people
  17. row — to paddle
  18. file — a document
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. file — a tool

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