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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. current — of water
  13. spell — letters
  14. charge — in control
  15. current — happening now
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. chip — to eat
  18. charge — a price
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. chip — for betting
  21. current — electric
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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