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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. prune — to trim
  4. sharp — clever
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lean — thin
  8. present — there
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. present — the time now
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. deal — to handle
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. present — a gift
  17. current — of water
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. current — electric
  21. lean — to bend
  22. perch — the fish
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — a big deal

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