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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. club — for golf
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. can — a tin
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. club — for dancing
  9. can — a tin
  10. snap — to click
  11. current — happening now
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. club — a group
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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