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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. ground — the earth
  3. cap — of ice
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bank — for money
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ball — a dance
  8. staff — employees
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. staff — employees
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. current — happening now
  16. ground — a position
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. current — electric
  22. cap — a hat
  23. current — of water
  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