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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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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: stand · cold · cabinet · dip · ball · rock · current · fork

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. current — happening now
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. cold — not warm
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rock — a stone
  17. current — of water
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. cold — an illness
  21. dip — to sink
  22. current — electric
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stand — on your feet

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