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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. rest — a break
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. rock — music
  6. rule — a law
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rule — government
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. track — a song
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. kick — in football
  19. current — happening now
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. track — a path
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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