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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ground — crushed
  3. rock — a stone
  4. current — happening now
  5. branch — a division
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. current — of water
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — music
  16. ground — the earth
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. tube — a container
  20. current — electric
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ground — a position

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