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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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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 · spell · hide · suit · bay · row · sharp · roll

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. current — electric
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. sharp — clever
  6. row — a line
  7. roll — a cake
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. roll — a list
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. spell — letters
  18. current — of water
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. current — happening now
  21. spell — a short time
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. sharp — exactly

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