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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. suit — in cards
  7. current — electric
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. current — happening now
  10. row — to paddle
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stock — shares
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. suit — to fit
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fall — the season
  18. stock — goods
  19. current — of water
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fan — a supporter

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