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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fine — all right
  3. bound — tied together
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. present — a gift
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. present — there
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bound — obliged
  16. band — a ring
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bound — certain
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. band — a music group
  21. cap — a lid
  22. present — the time now
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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