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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ground — the earth
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. current — happening now
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ground — crushed
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. current — electric
  13. ground — a position
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wake — a trail
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. current — of water
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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