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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. last — finally
  3. club — for dancing
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. club — for golf
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. last — final
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bank — for money
  11. root — the cause
  12. last — to go on
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bank — of a river
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. root — of a word
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bank — for money
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. current — electric

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