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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. drill — a practice
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. stand — to bear
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. drill — army training
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. wind — moving air
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. toast — bread
  21. date — the fruit
  22. current — happening now
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. drill — the tool

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