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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. band — a music group
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ball — a dance
  11. can — a tin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. swing — in golf
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. swing — music
  16. current — happening now
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. band — a ring
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a great 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