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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fine — high quality
  3. file — a tool
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. firm — decided
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. current — happening now
  9. firm — steady
  10. present — a gift
  11. track — a path
  12. current — electric
  13. cap — of ice
  14. present — there
  15. file — a line of people
  16. fine — all right
  17. file — a document
  18. cap — a lid
  19. current — of water
  20. firm — a company
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. present — the time now
  23. cap — a hat
  24. track — to keep track

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