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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: leaves · current · pop · toast · fall · mouse · bowl · ball

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. current — of water
  4. pop — soda
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. fall — the season
  9. current — happening now
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pop — to visit
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pop — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. toast — bread
  22. ball — a dance
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. ball — a great time

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