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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. object — to protest
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. current — of water
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bass — low music
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. current — happening now
  14. pound — a weight
  15. land — a country
  16. land — to come down
  17. current — electric
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. land — ground
  22. bass — the fish
  23. object — a thing
  24. squash — to crush

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