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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. court — for sport
  8. pound — a weight
  9. court — of law
  10. current — electric
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — happening now
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. court — of a king
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — of water
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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