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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wind — moving air
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mug — to rob
  6. craft — boats
  7. current — electric
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wind — moving air
  10. current — happening now
  11. rock — music
  12. root — the cause
  13. rock — a stone
  14. kick — in football
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mug — a cup
  17. craft — a skill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. current — of water
  20. root — of a word
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mug — a face
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. craft — a handicraft

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