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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. can — a tin
  3. club — for dancing
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — low music
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. current — electric
  9. club — a group
  10. current — happening now
  11. row — a line
  12. row — to paddle
  13. can — a tin
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. club — for golf
  19. snap — to click
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. current — of water
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. lean — thin
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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