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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bass — the fish
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fork — in a road
  6. current — electric
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. current — of water
  9. suit — clothes
  10. charge — electricity
  11. face — to confront
  12. charge — a price
  13. mine — for digging
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bass — low music
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. charge — in control
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. current — happening now
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. suit — in cards

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