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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bound — certain
  4. key — in music
  5. current — electric
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cap — a lid
  8. current — happening now
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. suit — to fit
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — for a lock
  13. current — of water
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. cap — of ice
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pitch — completely

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