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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. current — of water
  4. club — a group
  5. march — music
  6. club — for golf
  7. march — the month
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fine — high quality
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. march — the month
  16. saw — the tool
  17. tube — a container
  18. current — happening now
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. sharp — clever
  22. cap — a lid
  23. current — electric
  24. sharp — with an edge

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