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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 · tube · press · race · kid · season · spell · fork

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. spell — a short time
  4. current — of water
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. kid — child
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fork — in a road
  10. current — happening now
  11. season — of the year
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. press — newspapers
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. kid — to tease
  17. race — humankind
  18. season — in sport
  19. press — to push
  20. race — the arms race
  21. tube — a container
  22. spell — letters
  23. current — electric
  24. spell — magic

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