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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. cap — a lid
  4. perch — the fish
  5. current — happening now
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. deal — to handle
  8. spell — letters
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. spell — a short time
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. spell — magic
  22. stand — to bear
  23. current — electric
  24. pop — music

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