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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: leaves · current · shower · lie · racket · march · can · dip

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. shower — rain
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. current — electric
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. lie — to recline
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. can — a tin
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. racket — a loud noise

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