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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. land — a country
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. current — happening now
  8. land — ground
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. land — to come down
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. swing — music

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