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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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Word bank
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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. current — of water
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. current — electric
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fork — in a road
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — a group
  24. calf — a young animal

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