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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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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. current — of water
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. current — electric
  5. spring — a coil
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. current — happening now
  10. bound — obliged
  11. lean — thin
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bound — certain
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. spring — of water
  17. lean — to bend
  18. spring — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rash — a series
  21. fall — the season
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bound — tied together

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