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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. roll — a cake
  3. current — of water
  4. mug — a face
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. firm — decided
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. firm — a company
  15. clip — to cut
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. firm — steady
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bear — the animal
  21. roll — a list
  22. bear — the animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. sharp — exactly

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