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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. shower — to wash
  3. chest — a box
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. can — a tin
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. board — a committee
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. board — to get on
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. can — a tin
  20. shower — rain
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. chest — of your body
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. chest — of your body

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