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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. current — of water
  4. drill — a practice
  5. tear — to rip
  6. firm — decided
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. firm — a company
  9. season — in sport
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. current — happening now
  12. drill — army training
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. firm — steady
  16. tear — from crying
  17. drill — the tool
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. season — of the year
  20. lean — thin
  21. current — electric
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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