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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mug — to rob
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wind — moving air
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. track — to keep track
  14. can — a tin
  15. current — electric
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mug — a face
  24. bore — gave birth

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