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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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 — a part of the sea
  2. track — a path
  3. roll — a cake
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. current — electric
  7. track — a song
  8. press — a publisher
  9. roll — a list
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. press — to push
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. current — of water
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. current — happening now
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. track — to keep track
  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