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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: current · march · safe · swing · leaves · can · rock · pound

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. can — to be able to
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. current — electric
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. current — of water
  14. swing — music
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. march — the month
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — happening now
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. can — a tin
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rock — a stone

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