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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. current — happening now
  4. spell — letters
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. current — of water
  8. charge — in control
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bark — to shout
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. charge — electricity
  15. current — electric
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — a price
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. mark — a grade
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bowl — a football final

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