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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. band — a music group
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. current — of water
  6. fine — high quality
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. current — happening now
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. band — a ring
  17. track — to keep track
  18. current — electric
  19. chip — to eat
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fall — the season
  24. fan — a supporter

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