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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. current — of water
  3. snap — to click
  4. spell — magic
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. current — happening now
  7. craft — a skill
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. current — electric
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rule — a law
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rule — government
  15. date — the fruit
  16. spell — letters
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. content — happy
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. content — the amount
  22. craft — boats
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rule — to rule out

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