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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rush — hurry
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. content — happy
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. content — the amount
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pass — a permit
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. current — electric
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rush — to hurry

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