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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ground — a position
  4. bound — certain
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. ground — crushed
  7. suit — in cards
  8. game — a match
  9. bound — tied together
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. current — happening now
  14. bass — the fish
  15. current — of water
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ground — the earth
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bass — low music
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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