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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. content — the amount
  3. pop — music
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ground — a position
  6. pop — soda
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. current — happening now
  9. ground — the earth
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. content — happy
  12. track — a song
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pop — to visit
  15. board — to get on
  16. ground — crushed
  17. track — to keep track
  18. game — a match
  19. track — a path
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. board — a committee
  24. bay — a horse colour

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