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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 120 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: saw · current · file · lash · land · mouse · bear · spell

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. current — of water
  3. land — ground
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. file — a document
  7. current — happening now
  8. land — a country
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. file — a tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. file — a line of people
  13. current — electric
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. land — to come down
  18. spell — magic
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. saw — the tool

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