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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. land — ground
  3. rock — a stone
  4. face — to point toward
  5. current — of water
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. face — to confront
  12. rock — music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. land — to come down
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — the arms race
  21. current — electric
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. current — happening now
  24. land — a country

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