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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. can — a tin
  4. spell — magic
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. can — a tin
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. spell — letters
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. current — of water
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pass — a permit
  20. spell — a short time
  21. snap — to click
  22. can — to be able to
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — the season

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