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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. land — a country
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. board — a committee
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. current — electric
  11. mug — a face
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. current — of water
  14. rush — hurry
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. mug — a cup
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. current — happening now
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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