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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. band — a music group
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. current — of water
  13. suit — in cards
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lie — to recline
  18. band — a ring

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