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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. current — of water
  3. tear — from crying
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. tear — to rip
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. current — happening now
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fine — all right
  16. bear — the animal
  17. shower — rain
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bear — the animal
  22. current — electric
  23. tear — from crying
  24. fine — high quality

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