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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — in cards
  4. current — happening now
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. current — of water
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. current — electric
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spring — the season
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. spring — of water
  20. drill — the tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spring — a coil
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. suit — clothes

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