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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. game — a match
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. march — the month
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — electric
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. march — the month
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. ball — a dance
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. current — happening now
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. game — wild animals
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. march — music
  24. game — a kind of play

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