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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. spell — a short time
  3. current — electric
  4. spell — letters
  5. bank — for money
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bank — for money
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. clip — a video
  11. deal — to handle
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bank — of a river
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. spell — magic
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. current — of water
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. clip — for paper
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. deal — a big deal

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