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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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. lean — to rest against
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. current — electric
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pop — soda
  9. bear — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. current — of water
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stand — to bear
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pop — music
  21. current — happening now
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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