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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: ground · dip · current · tube · fan · leaves · toast · swing

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. current — happening now
  8. ground — a position
  9. current — of water
  10. tube — a container
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. swing — to play on
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. tube — the underground
  16. current — electric
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ground — crushed
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. toast — bread
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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