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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. spell — letters
  3. current — electric
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. wake — a trail
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pitch — completely
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. spell — a short time
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. spell — magic
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bass — low music
  21. current — of water
  22. staff — employees
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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