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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: suit · lean · current · fall · pit · rock · dip · present

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. current — electric
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fall — the season
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lean — thin
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. current — of water
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fall — to drop
  13. present — there
  14. suit — clothes
  15. lean — to bend
  16. present — the time now
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. present — a gift
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. current — happening now
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rock — to move gently

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