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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. mate — to breed
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. drill — the tool
  6. current — happening now
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rest — what's left
  10. present — the time now
  11. rest — what's left
  12. spell — magic
  13. rest — a break
  14. drill — a practice
  15. spell — letters
  16. mate — a friend
  17. spell — a short time
  18. present — a gift
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — the season
  21. present — there
  22. spring — of water
  23. mug — a face
  24. mate — a partner

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