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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mug — a face
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for golf
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wax — to grow
  9. club — for dancing
  10. mug — a cup
  11. current — electric
  12. swing — to play on
  13. current — happening now
  14. march — the month
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hand — help
  17. swing — in golf
  18. march — music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. swing — music
  21. current — of water
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bear — to put up with

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