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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. current — electric
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. staff — employees
  10. spell — magic
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. current — of water
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. spell — letters
  17. row — to paddle
  18. current — happening now
  19. ball — a great time
  20. spell — a short time
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pass — a permit
  23. snap — to click
  24. row — a line

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