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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. track — a song
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chip — for betting
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. track — a path
  8. cold — not warm
  9. cold — an illness
  10. charge — a price
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. current — of water
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. current — happening now
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. charge — in control
  20. current — electric
  21. charge — electricity
  22. chip — to eat
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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