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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. current — happening now
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. current — electric
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. game — a match
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. lie — to recline
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. current — of water
  19. staff — employees
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. staff — employees

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