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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. march — the month
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. file — a document
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. current — of water
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. march — the month
  14. file — a line of people
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. current — happening now
  19. march — music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. file — a tool
  23. ball — a great time
  24. current — electric

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