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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. firm — steady
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. band — a ring
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. net — after costs
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. firm — decided
  13. current — electric
  14. bat — the animal
  15. net — in sport
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — a company
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. current — happening now
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. band — a music group
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. current — of water
  24. bay — a horse colour

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