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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. current — of water
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. shower — to wash
  18. current — happening now
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. shower — rain
  24. pass — a permit

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