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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. pop — music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. current — happening now
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. content — the amount
  6. pop — soda
  7. spell — magic
  8. current — electric
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pop — to visit
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. content — happy
  16. spell — letters
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  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