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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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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 · toast · row · suit · sharp · wake · current · field

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. current — of water
  3. wake — a trail
  4. field — for sport
  5. row — a line
  6. suit — in cards
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. current — happening now
  9. row — to paddle
  10. field — farmland
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. suit — clothes
  14. field — a subject
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. toast — bread
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. sharp — clever
  21. suit — to fit
  22. current — electric
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. toast — the most admired

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