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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. fine — high quality
  3. present — the time now
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. shower — to wash
  8. object — a thing
  9. current — happening now
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. current — electric
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. current — of water
  15. pop — music
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pop — to visit
  18. object — an aim
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pop — soda
  22. object — to protest
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. present — there

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