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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: ball · leaves · saw · fork · swing · cabinet · current · wax

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ball — a great time
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. fork — in a road
  8. current — happening now
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. swing — music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wax — to grow
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. swing — to play on
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. current — of water
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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