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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lean — thin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. current — of water
  22. lean — to bend
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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