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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bound — tied together
  3. spell — magic
  4. current — happening now
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bound — obliged
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mug — a cup
  13. capital — a city
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. current — of water
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. current — electric
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bound — certain
  23. object — an aim
  24. spell — letters

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