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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 124 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. current — electric
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. charge — in control
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wind — moving air
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. current — happening now
  13. race — a contest
  14. track — a song
  15. race — the arms race
  16. track — to keep track
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. race — humankind
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. charge — a price
  22. current — of water
  23. track — a path
  24. wind — moving 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