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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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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: current · kid · foot · toast · rule · lean · cabinet · bay

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. current — electric
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. current — happening now
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. toast — bread
  14. lean — to bend
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rule — government
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. lean — thin
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. current — of water
  24. toast — the most admired

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