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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wax — to grow
  10. current — of water
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. current — happening now
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. current — electric
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mine — for digging

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