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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. spell — a short time
  7. toast — bread
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. spell — letters
  11. bore — to tire
  12. current — electric
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bulb — for light
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. current — happening now
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. suit — clothes
  21. present — a gift
  22. current — of water
  23. bore — to drill
  24. spell — magic

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