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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ball — a dance
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. current — happening now
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pound — a weight
  21. ball — a great time
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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