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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 120 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. current — electric
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. sharp — clever
  8. shower — rain
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bore — to tire
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. game — a match
  17. current — happening now
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bass — low music
  23. current — of water
  24. bass — the fish

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