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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. spring — of water
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. current — happening now
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spring — the season
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. spring — a coil
  13. current — electric
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. can — a tin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ball — a dance
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. can — a tin
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ball — a great time

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