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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pit — in a race
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. degree — an amount
  8. current — happening now
  9. pit — a hole
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. current — of water
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. degree — from a university
  17. spell — letters
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bound — certain
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. track — a path
  23. degree — temperature
  24. current — electric

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