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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. file — a tool
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. file — a document
  8. current — happening now
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pop — soda
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pop — to visit
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. snap — to click
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. spell — magic
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. file — a line of people
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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