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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · fine · spell · chest · pop · ball · current · tube

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rest — what's left
  3. current — electric
  4. spell — magic
  5. ball — a great time
  6. spell — letters
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pop — music
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. current — of water
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. chest — a box
  13. spell — a short time
  14. fine — high quality
  15. tube — a container
  16. rest — a break
  17. tube — the underground
  18. current — happening now
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fine — all right
  24. chest — of your body

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