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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. season — of the year
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. swing — in golf
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pass — a permit
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. swing — music
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. season — in sport
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. current — happening now
  17. swing — to play on
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. face — to confront
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. current — of water

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