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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. swing — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. prune — to trim
  8. swing — in golf
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. swing — to play on
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. ball — a dance
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. ball — a great time

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