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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: current · staff · rush · chest · rule · mark · fine · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. mark — a grade
  7. current — happening now
  8. chest — of your body
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chest — of your body
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. rule — a law
  15. fine — all right
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chest — a box
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rule — government
  24. fine — high quality

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