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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. spell — letters
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mate — a partner
  7. spell — magic
  8. perch — the fish
  9. key — in music
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. spell — a short time
  18. current — electric
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. current — happening now
  22. key — the most important part
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mate — a friend

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