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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. spell — letters
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. squash — to crush
  10. ball — a dance
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. suit — in cards
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. suit — clothes
  15. squash — the sport
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. current — of water
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. ball — a great time
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ball — a round shape

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