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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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Word bank
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. suit — to fit
  3. current — of water
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. spell — magic
  7. tube — the underground
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bound — certain
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bound — tied together
  17. suit — in cards
  18. current — happening now
  19. wind — moving air
  20. spell — a short time
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. current — electric
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — to sit on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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