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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. suit — to fit
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. suit — clothes
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. mug — a face
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bat — the animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mug — to rob
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. band — a ring
  20. spell — letters
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. current — of water
  23. band — a music group
  24. suit — in cards

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