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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. board — a committee
  5. mug — to rob
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cap — a lid
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. current — happening now
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. board — to get on
  16. current — electric
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. club — for golf
  19. mug — a face
  20. cap — a hat
  21. club — a group
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. current — of water

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