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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. current — electric
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. current — happening now
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rule — a law
  15. current — of water
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. craft — boats
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rule — government
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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