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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. spell — a short time
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. spell — letters
  10. season — in sport
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. snap — to click
  14. spring — the season
  15. current — happening now
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — of water
  22. season — of the year
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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