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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mate — a friend
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cap — a lid
  6. rock — music
  7. current — of water
  8. game — wild animals
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. cap — a hat
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. game — a match
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mate — to breed
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bear — to put up with

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