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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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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: current · roll · season · bowl · snap · stick · land · racket

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. season — in sport
  3. roll — a list
  4. season — of the year
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. current — happening now
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. current — of water
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. snap — to click
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. current — electric
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. land — to come down
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. land — a country

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