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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 partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. current — of water
  4. cold — not warm
  5. current — happening now
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. march — the month
  9. lie — to recline
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. current — electric
  13. present — the time now
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. march — the month
  16. tube — the underground
  17. present — a gift
  18. tube — a container
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. march — music
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cold — an illness
  24. bay — a horse colour

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