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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. spring — the season
  6. season — of the year
  7. spell — magic
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — of water
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. season — in sport
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spring — of water
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. spring — a coil
  18. nail — on a finger

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