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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: object · firm · sharp · current · spell · bear · press · straw

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. sharp — clever
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. spell — magic
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. spell — a short time
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. press — newspapers
  21. firm — steady
  22. object — to protest
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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