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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. craft — boats
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. current — happening now
  8. suit — clothes
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. current — electric
  11. suit — in cards
  12. chest — of your body
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. club — for dancing
  15. file — a tool
  16. chest — of your body
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. club — for golf
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bear — the animal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. current — of water
  23. suit — to fit
  24. file — a document

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