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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. current — of water
  3. club — for dancing
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. march — the month
  8. hand — in cards
  9. march — music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. club — a group
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. march — the month
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. current — happening now
  18. club — for golf
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. current — electric
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hand — help

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