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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. mark — a trace
  3. current — happening now
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. net — in sport
  6. rush — hurry
  7. scale — in music
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. net — after costs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mark — a grade
  15. current — of water
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lean — thin
  20. net — for catching
  21. current — electric
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lean — to rest against

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