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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. rock — a stone
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. current — of water
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. cue — a signal
  11. rock — music
  12. spell — magic
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. spell — letters
  17. cue — for pool
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. season — of the year
  20. current — happening now
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. current — electric
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. spell — a short time

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