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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. current — of water
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spell — magic
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. current — electric
  11. bound — obliged
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cap — a hat
  15. spell — a short time
  16. current — happening now
  17. bass — the fish
  18. cap — a lid
  19. spring — the season
  20. bass — low music
  21. spell — letters
  22. spring — of water
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cap — of ice

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