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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a ring
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rush — hurry
  6. firm — steady
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. current — of water
  9. mine — for digging
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — bread
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pitch — completely
  16. firm — a company
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. current — electric
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. firm — decided
  24. rush — a thrill

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