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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 116 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. fall — to drop
  3. current — electric
  4. staff — employees
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. spell — a short time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. current — of water
  14. fall — to drop
  15. staff — employees
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mug — a face
  18. current — happening now
  19. mug — to rob
  20. fall — the season
  21. spell — magic
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — a stick

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