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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · lean · current · wake · track · chair · squash · bay

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. current — electric
  3. chair — a leader
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. squash — the sport
  6. track — a path
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lean — to bend
  9. squash — to crush
  10. track — a song
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wake — a trail
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. current — of water
  15. lean — thin
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. current — happening now
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. squash — the vegetable

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