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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 124 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. current — happening now
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. plane — a tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. root — of a word
  12. current — electric
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. root — of a plant
  19. drill — the tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. root — the cause
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. current — of water
  24. bulb — for light

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