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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: toast · deal · racket · current · pop · game · saw · leaves

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pop — to visit
  7. deal — to handle
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pop — music
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. current — of water
  16. game — a match
  17. saw — the tool
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. current — happening now
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. current — electric
  22. pop — soda
  23. saw — the tool
  24. game — wild animals

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