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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. track — a song
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — a committee
  5. current — electric
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. track — a path
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. tear — to rip
  12. current — of water
  13. net — after costs
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bore — to drill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. current — happening now
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. board — to get on
  20. bore — to tire
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tear — from crying
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bore — gave birth

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