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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. deal — to handle
  6. spell — letters
  7. charge — electricity
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. current — of water
  11. wake — a trail
  12. current — happening now
  13. spell — magic
  14. snap — to click
  15. track — a song
  16. charge — in control
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. track — a path
  21. current — electric
  22. track — to keep track
  23. charge — a price
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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