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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: current · cap · sharp · ball · leaves · arm · spell · wound

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. current — happening now
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. spell — magic
  9. current — of water
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wound — an injury
  13. spell — letters
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. spell — a short time
  16. current — electric
  17. cap — of ice
  18. ball — a great time
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cap — a lid
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wound — an injury

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