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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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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 · stick · rule · drill · swing · current · wind · mark

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. current — of water
  5. wind — moving air
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rule — a law
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. current — happening now
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spell — magic
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mark — a grade
  15. spell — letters
  16. current — electric
  17. rule — government
  18. spell — a short time
  19. swing — music
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — army training
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. wind — moving air

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