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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. ball — a great time
  3. rash — a series
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. current — of water
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. current — electric
  10. swing — music
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. ball — a dance
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rash — hasty
  20. current — happening now
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. date — the fruit

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