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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 120 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. tube — the underground
  3. can — a tin
  4. pop — soda
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. current — of water
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pop — music
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — electric
  15. can — to be able to
  16. current — happening now
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pop — to visit
  19. tube — a container
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. tube — in a tire

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