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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ball — a dance
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. root — the cause
  8. ball — a great time
  9. current — electric
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. current — happening now
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. temple — a place of worship
  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