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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cell — a phone
  3. pop — soda
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. pop — music
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cell — in biology
  12. ground — crushed
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mate — to breed
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pit — a hole
  18. current — of water
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. pop — to visit
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. mate — a friend

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