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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. spell — letters
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. current — electric
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cold — not warm
  13. hand — help
  14. suit — to fit
  15. current — of water
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rock — a stone
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. cold — an illness
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — clothes
  24. current — happening now

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