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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. current — happening now
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. track — a song
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — in cards
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. spring — a coil
  12. rock — music
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hand — help
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rock — a stone
  19. spring — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. track — a path
  22. track — to keep track
  23. current — of water
  24. spring — the season

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