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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. current — electric
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. rock — a stone
  8. row — to paddle
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rock — music
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. current — happening now
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. current — of water

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