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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. roll — a list
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. current — electric
  12. date — the fruit
  13. deal — to handle
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. current — of water
  19. roll — a cake
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. plane — a tool
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. current — happening now

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