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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. current — electric
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — of water
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. current — happening now
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bark — to shout
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lean — thin
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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