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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. plane — a tool
  3. current — electric
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rule — government
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rule — a law
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wound — an injury

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