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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: racket · fan · rest · current · leaves · shower · rock · cabinet

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rock — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. current — happening now
  10. shower — rain
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rock — a stone
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. current — of water
  20. shower — to wash
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rest — what's left
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fan — to cool the air

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