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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. land — ground
  3. track — a song
  4. land — to come down
  5. object — a thing
  6. land — a country
  7. chest — a box
  8. object — an aim
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. current — happening now
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. current — of water
  17. chest — of your body
  18. tube — a container
  19. object — to protest
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. track — a path
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. current — electric
  24. chest — of your body

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