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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. current — of water
  4. ground — the earth
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lean — thin
  9. field — farmland
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. field — a subject
  12. current — electric
  13. pop — music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pop — soda
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. net — in sport
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. net — after costs
  20. ground — a position
  21. net — for catching
  22. field — for sport
  23. pop — to visit
  24. ground — crushed

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