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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · fork · bay · race · current · cell

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. race — humankind
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. race — the arms race
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — in biology
  9. lie — to recline
  10. race — a contest
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. current — of water
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cell — a phone
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road

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