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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. current — of water
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. charge — a price
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. season — in sport
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. fine — all right
  16. bark — to shout
  17. current — happening now
  18. season — of the year
  19. mark — a trace
  20. club — for dancing
  21. current — electric
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rule — government
  24. club — a group

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