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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. current — of water
  3. spell — magic
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — to bear
  6. march — music
  7. fall — the season
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. march — the month
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. toast — bread
  14. current — happening now
  15. fall — to drop
  16. file — a document
  17. spell — a short time
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. current — electric
  23. file — a tool
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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