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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. land — ground
  5. suit — to fit
  6. current — of water
  7. rock — music
  8. current — happening now
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spring — the season
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. suit — clothes
  20. land — to come down
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. land — a country

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