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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. firm — a company
  3. object — an aim
  4. current — electric
  5. object — to protest
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. firm — decided
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. object — a thing
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. spell — magic
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. firm — steady
  18. spring — the season
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spring — of water
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. spring — a coil
  24. lean — to bend

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