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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. current — of water
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. squash — the sport
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. firm — decided
  9. file — a tool
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. squash — to crush
  14. file — a document
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. firm — steady
  18. pit — in a race
  19. file — a line of people
  20. current — electric
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — a company
  23. current — happening now
  24. straw — dry grass

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