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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. spell — a short time
  3. suit — to fit
  4. spell — magic
  5. capital — a city
  6. club — for dancing
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. current — happening now
  11. firm — a company
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. spell — letters
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. club — a group
  16. pound — a weight
  17. capital — money
  18. current — of water
  19. suit — in cards
  20. firm — steady
  21. club — for golf
  22. firm — decided
  23. current — electric
  24. pound — to hit hard

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