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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · pit · lean · racket · last · current · dip · bass

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bass — low music
  5. current — of water
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. last — final
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pit — in a race
  12. current — happening now
  13. mate — to breed
  14. last — finally
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. current — electric
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mate — a partner
  19. lean — thin
  20. bass — the fish
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lean — to bend
  24. last — to go on

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