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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bound — tied together
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mug — to rob
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mug — a face
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bound — obliged
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bound — certain
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. spell — a short time
  23. current — electric
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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