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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. current — electric
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bat — the animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. suit — in cards
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stock — goods
  20. current — happening now
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. stock — shares
  24. cabinet — ministers

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