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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. current — electric
  4. spell — magic
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. prune — to trim
  9. current — happening now
  10. firm — a company
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. kick — in football
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. firm — steady
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. current — of water
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pass — a permit
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. firm — decided
  22. spell — letters
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. prune — to trim

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