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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. band — a ring
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. staff — employees
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — of water
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. present — there
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. present — the time now
  21. fork — in a road
  22. object — a thing
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. staff — employees

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