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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. current — happening now
  3. object — an aim
  4. current — electric
  5. land — to come down
  6. firm — a company
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. land — a country
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mark — a grade
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. object — a thing
  14. firm — steady
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. current — of water
  19. mark — a trace
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. object — to protest
  22. land — ground
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a ring

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