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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. tube — a container
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. file — a document
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. file — a tool
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — an amount
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. craft — boats
  12. tube — the underground
  13. current — happening now
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. file — a line of people
  16. lean — thin
  17. craft — a skill
  18. current — electric
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. degree — temperature
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. tube — in a tire

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