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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spring — of water
  4. spell — magic
  5. current — of water
  6. pop — to visit
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pop — soda
  9. current — electric
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. scale — size or range
  13. spell — letters
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rush — hurry
  17. craft — a skill
  18. scale — in music
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pop — music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. suit — in cards
  24. craft — boats

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