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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mark — a grade
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ground — a position
  7. tube — a container
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ground — the earth
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. capital — money
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. current — happening now
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mark — a trace
  19. firm — a company
  20. current — of water
  21. capital — a city
  22. current — electric
  23. ground — crushed
  24. capital — a big letter

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