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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. rock — music
  3. date — the fruit
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. roll — a cake
  7. lean — thin
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. ball — a dance
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. roll — a list
  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