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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — a phone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. current — electric
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. spell — magic
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. toast — bread
  13. stock — goods
  14. current — happening now
  15. stock — shares
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. spell — letters
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stand — to bear
  24. spell — a short time

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