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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. current — electric
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. club — a group
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. fork — in a road
  10. club — for golf
  11. current — happening now
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stand — to bear
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mate — a friend
  16. current — of water
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. band — a ring
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. club — for dancing

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