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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 120 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pop — to visit
  5. current — electric
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pop — music
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rest — a break
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. pop — soda
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. current — of water
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. current — happening now

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