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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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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ground — a position
  4. file — a document
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. club — a group
  7. file — a line of people
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. current — happening now
  10. ground — crushed
  11. current — electric
  12. club — for golf
  13. ball — a great time
  14. file — a tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. club — for dancing
  17. current — of water
  18. ball — a round shape

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