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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. race — a contest
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — in cards
  16. race — humankind
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. current — happening now
  19. hand — help
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bulb — for light

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