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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. shower — rain
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. current — of water
  9. present — a gift
  10. mark — a trace
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. present — there
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. present — the time now

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