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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. current — electric
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stem — to come from
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. current — of water
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. board — a committee
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. current — happening now
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. leaves — of a tree

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