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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 120 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. spell — letters
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. land — ground
  11. spell — a short time
  12. land — to come down
  13. current — happening now
  14. spell — magic
  15. rule — government
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. land — a country
  18. rule — a law
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. foot — part of the body

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