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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: sharp · present · kid · bear · wake · dip · fine · current

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fine — high quality
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bear — the animal
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. present — a gift
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. fine — all right
  15. kid — child
  16. sharp — clever
  17. present — there
  18. current — happening now
  19. kid — to tease
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. dip — to sink
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. wake — a trail
  24. present — the time now

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