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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. file — a tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. court — for sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. file — a document
  12. court — of a king
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. current — happening now
  18. board — to get on
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. file — a line of people
  21. spell — letters
  22. court — of law
  23. board — a committee
  24. mouse — for a computer

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