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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. current — of water
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. current — happening now
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. current — electric
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rock — a stone
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — hurry
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fine — all right
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rock — music
  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