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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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. current — electric
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. degree — an amount
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — decided
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. current — happening now
  16. degree — from a university
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. sharp — clever
  22. date — the fruit
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. current — of water

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