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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. current — happening now
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. ball — a dance
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. tear — to rip
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ball — a great time
  14. tear — from crying
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. tear — from crying
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. ball — a round shape

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