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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. track — to keep track
  3. spell — magic
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. current — of water
  10. track — a path
  11. spell — letters
  12. rock — a stone
  13. current — electric
  14. charge — a price
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. track — a song
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. current — happening now
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. spell — a short time
  23. charge — in control
  24. calf — a young animal

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