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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. current — of water
  3. net — after costs
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mark — a trace
  6. club — a group
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — electric
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. net — in sport
  11. squash — the sport
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rash — hasty
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mark — a grade
  16. current — happening now
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. squash — to crush
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. net — for catching
  22. rush — hurry
  23. club — for golf
  24. rush — to hurry

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