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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. swing — in golf
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. swing — music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. spring — a coil
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. squash — the sport
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — of water
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. spring — of water
  23. swing — to play on
  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