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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. charge — a price
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fork — in a road
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. current — happening now
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. band — a music group
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. band — a ring
  17. current — electric
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. charge — electricity
  20. squash — the sport
  21. charge — in control
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. current — of water
  24. deal — to handle

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