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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. current — of water
  4. mate — a friend
  5. board — a committee
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. current — electric
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. drill — the tool
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. current — happening now
  20. drill — army training
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. tear — from crying
  23. board — to get on
  24. tear — from crying

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