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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. current — electric
  4. fine — all right
  5. file — a document
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. club — a group
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. current — happening now
  10. fine — high quality
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. club — for dancing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. current — of water
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. club — for golf
  24. foot — a measure

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