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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. current — electric
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — to handle
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. current — of water
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. spell — letters
  16. current — happening now
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. net — in sport
  19. spell — magic
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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