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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.

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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. rash — hasty
  3. current — happening now
  4. bear — the animal
  5. object — an aim
  6. rash — a series
  7. object — a thing
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — electric
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. object — to protest
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bear — the animal
  18. current — of water

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