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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. current — of water
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. swing — music
  10. current — electric
  11. swing — to play on
  12. row — a line
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rock — a stone
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rock — music
  18. current — happening now
  19. shower — to wash
  20. row — to paddle
  21. shower — rain
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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