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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. current — electric
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. file — a tool
  7. swing — in golf
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. current — of water
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. swing — music
  16. present — there
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. file — a document
  24. wave — with your hand

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