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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. root — the cause
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. content — happy
  14. firm — a company
  15. mate — a friend
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. root — of a word
  18. firm — steady
  19. current — happening now
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. content — the amount
  22. root — of a plant
  23. current — of water
  24. firm — decided

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