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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 120 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a grade
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. club — for golf
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mark — a trace
  17. current — happening now
  18. club — a group

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