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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. spell — magic
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. file — a document
  5. current — of water
  6. spell — a short time
  7. file — a tool
  8. march — music
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. march — the month
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bore — to tire
  17. march — the month
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mug — a cup
  20. spell — letters
  21. mug — to rob
  22. chip — for betting
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bore — gave birth

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