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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. present — the time now
  3. current — electric
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rest — what's left
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — letters
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. present — there
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. current — of water
  16. spell — magic
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. shower — rain
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bark — to shout
  21. chip — for betting
  22. present — a gift
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rest — a break

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