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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: tube · pit · season · current · temple · rock · swing · game

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. tube — the underground
  3. swing — music
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. season — of the year
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. tube — a container
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. game — a match
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. season — in sport
  18. game — wild animals
  19. current — happening now
  20. pit — in a race
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pit — a hole
  23. swing — in golf
  24. temple — a place of worship

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