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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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. ball — a great time
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. board — to get on
  7. kid — child
  8. bank — for money
  9. club — for golf
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. kid — to tease
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. board — a committee
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rash — a series
  21. bank — for money
  22. rash — hasty
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. board — a flat piece

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