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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
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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: current · dip · straw · bay · jam · present · rock · ground

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. rock — music
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. dip — to sink
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ground — the earth
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rock — a stone
  10. present — the time now
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. ground — a position
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. present — a gift
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. present — there
  20. current — of water
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. current — electric
  23. ground — crushed
  24. current — happening now

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