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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. current — of water
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. snap — to click
  5. object — a thing
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. object — to protest
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. object — an aim
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rock — music
  15. season — in sport
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. season — of the year
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. rock — a stone
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fork — in a road

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