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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. current — happening now
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. saw — the tool
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. firm — decided
  9. wake — a trail
  10. season — in sport
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. firm — steady
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. season — of the year
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. firm — a company
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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