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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. club — a group
  4. can — a tin
  5. march — the month
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. can — to be able to
  11. club — for dancing
  12. craft — boats
  13. march — music
  14. current — electric
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. club — for golf
  17. current — of water
  18. rock — a stone
  19. current — happening now
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. march — the month
  22. craft — a skill
  23. can — a tin
  24. craft — a handicraft

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