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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. cue — for pool
  3. spell — magic
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rock — music
  9. cue — a hint
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. current — electric
  14. ground — the earth
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ground — a position
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rock — a stone
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bear — the animal

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