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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · ground · dip · hide · snap · spell · racket · suit

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. current — electric
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. current — happening now
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. ground — the earth
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. spell — letters
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ground — crushed
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. suit — to fit
  17. spell — a short time
  18. ground — a position
  19. current — of water
  20. dip — to sink
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. suit — clothes
  24. hide — animal skin

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