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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. current — of water
  3. net — for catching
  4. current — electric
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. spell — letters
  9. suit — clothes
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. current — happening now
  13. fine — all right
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. suit — in cards
  17. net — after costs
  18. fine — high quality
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pound — a weight

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