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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. 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. fan — a supporter
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. spell — a short time
  4. firm — steady
  5. lie — to recline
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. current — electric
  8. firm — decided
  9. object — an aim
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. spell — letters
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. sharp — clever
  15. object — a thing
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — happening now
  20. spell — magic
  21. object — to protest
  22. firm — a company
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. 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