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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. file — a tool
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. file — a document
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. current — happening now
  8. firm — steady
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fork — in a road
  12. current — electric
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. game — a match
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. firm — a company
  17. current — of water
  18. file — a line of people
  19. game — wild animals
  20. firm — decided
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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