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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rest — a break
  3. spring — a coil
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. current — of water
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rash — hasty
  9. suit — in cards
  10. current — electric
  11. hand — help
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — the season
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. suit — to fit
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. current — happening now
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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