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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 116 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. cue — for pool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spell — letters
  7. spring — of water
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. current — happening now
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cue — a signal
  15. spring — the season
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pitch — completely
  21. spell — magic
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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