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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.

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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 · swing · pitcher · pit · row · leaves · deal · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. swing — music
  6. row — to paddle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. current — happening now
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. row — a line
  13. deal — to handle
  14. current — of water
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pit — in a race
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. tube — a container
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. tube — the underground
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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