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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. current — of water
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. content — happy
  10. club — for golf
  11. fine — all right
  12. current — electric
  13. club — for dancing
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. current — happening now
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. perch — the fish
  20. saw — the tool
  21. content — the amount
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rush — hurry
  24. fine — high quality

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