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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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Word bank
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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. current — happening now
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. current — electric
  11. tear — from crying
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — an aim
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — in football
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. current — of water
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. tear — to rip
  24. fan — to cool the air

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