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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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. can — to be able to
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. can — a tin
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. present — the time now
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. present — a gift
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. current — happening now
  14. fork — in a road
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. game — wild animals
  18. current — of water
  19. plane — a tool
  20. current — electric
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. can — a tin
  24. fan — a supporter

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