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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pass — a permit
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. current — of water
  11. chip — to eat
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. chip — for betting
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. current — happening now
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. current — electric
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. game — a match
  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