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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. current — happening now
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. date — the fruit
  9. current — electric
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. firm — decided
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. firm — steady
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — of water
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. firm — a company
  24. pitcher — a jug

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