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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wound — an injury
  4. current — electric
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. current — happening now
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. current — of water
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. club — for golf
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. club — a group
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fork — in a road
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. club — for dancing
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bear — the animal
  24. temple — side of the head

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