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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. current — happening now
  4. last — finally
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. last — final
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cue — for pool
  9. last — to go on
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bat — the animal
  15. net — in sport
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. net — for catching
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. cue — a hint
  23. net — after costs
  24. cue — a signal

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