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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 120 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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Word bank
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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. content — the amount
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. current — happening now
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. snap — to click
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lie — to recline
  16. spell — letters
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. spell — magic
  23. rash — hasty
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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