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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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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. current — of water
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fork — in a road
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — rain
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. current — happening now
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. current — electric

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