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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. current — happening now
  4. race — humankind
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. spell — magic
  7. kid — child
  8. race — a contest
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pound — a weight
  12. current — of water
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. spell — a short time
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bass — low music
  20. current — electric
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. race — the arms race
  24. kid — to tease

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