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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. current — happening now
  3. club — for golf
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. rush — hurry
  6. current — electric
  7. pop — music
  8. current — of water
  9. toast — bread
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. branch — a division
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. club — a group
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pop — to visit
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. pop — soda

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