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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 · swing · dip · rock · mouse · face · current · pit

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. current — happening now
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pit — in a race
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rock — a stone
  9. dip — to sink
  10. current — of water
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. swing — to play on
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. sharp — clever
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — to point toward
  20. current — electric
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rock — music
  24. swing — music

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