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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rash — a series
  3. pop — to visit
  4. track — a path
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pop — soda
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pop — music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. cap — a hat
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. cap — a lid
  22. current — electric
  23. track — a song
  24. rash — hasty

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