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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. squash — to crush
  3. current — happening now
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. current — of water
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. roll — a list
  9. chip — to eat
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bear — the animal
  15. roll — a cake
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mark — a trace
  24. hide — animal skin

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