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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. current — happening now
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. swing — to play on
  5. staff — a stick
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. staff — employees
  11. band — a music group
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. current — electric
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. scale — size or range
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. scale — in music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. current — of water
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. staff — employees
  24. band — a ring

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