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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. current — of water
  3. spell — magic
  4. clip — for paper
  5. firm — decided
  6. spell — a short time
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. firm — a company
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. spell — letters
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. suit — to fit
  14. clip — to cut
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. present — the time now
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. clip — a video
  19. firm — steady
  20. present — a gift
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — for tennis

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