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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  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. current — electric
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — happy
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rock — music
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. ball — a great time
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. current — of water
  13. prune — to trim
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. game — a match
  17. rush — hurry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rock — a stone
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. game — a kind of play
  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