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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. staff — a stick
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. current — electric
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. staff — employees
  12. chest — of your body
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. current — of water
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. tear — from crying
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wake — a trail
  20. staff — employees
  21. current — happening now
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bowl — to roll

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