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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. land — ground
  4. ball — a dance
  5. land — to come down
  6. current — happening now
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fall — the season
  9. current — electric
  10. squash — to crush
  11. land — a country
  12. ball — a great time
  13. current — of water
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — clothes
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cabinet — ministers

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