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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · bear · pop · current · squash · arm · rock · season

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fall — the season
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. season — of the year
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fall — to drop
  9. season — in sport
  10. pop — soda
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. current — electric
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pop — to visit
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. current — of water
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. current — happening now
  23. squash — to crush
  24. rock — music

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