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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: spell · bay · current · stand · game · wake · present · drill

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. spell — magic
  7. current — of water
  8. game — a match
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. drill — army training
  12. present — a gift
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. drill — the tool
  16. game — wild animals
  17. current — electric
  18. spell — letters
  19. wake — a trail
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. current — happening now
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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