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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mug — to rob
  4. current — of water
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — for golf
  7. current — electric
  8. drill — a practice
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. current — happening now
  13. drill — army training
  14. march — the month
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mug — a face
  17. march — the month
  18. club — a group
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. march — music
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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