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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. roll — a list
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. band — a music group
  6. fork — in a road
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ball — a great time
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. band — a ring
  11. current — happening now
  12. key — in music
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. current — of water
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. current — electric

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