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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. current — of water
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. fall — to drop
  9. current — happening now
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fall — the season
  14. current — electric
  15. swing — to play on
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. swing — music
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. land — a country
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — to come down
  24. pound — to hit hard

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