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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. last — finally
  3. object — a thing
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rock — a stone
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. current — happening now
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. current — of water
  14. last — final
  15. chair — a leader
  16. march — music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. current — electric
  21. rock — music
  22. last — to go on
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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