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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. current — electric
  3. wax — to grow
  4. current — happening now
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chair — a leader
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. rock — music
  10. pitch — completely
  11. shower — rain
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. vault — a safe
  17. shower — to wash
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. current — of water
  24. wax — in the ear

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