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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 120 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: season · plane · object · mouse · rock · march · bowl · current

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. object — to protest
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — of the year
  9. march — music
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. object — a thing
  16. current — of water
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. season — in sport
  24. plane — an aircraft

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