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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pit — a hole
  4. race — a contest
  5. current — of water
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. capital — money
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. race — humankind
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. current — happening now
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. capital — a city
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. key — in music
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. current — electric
  24. sharp — clever

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