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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bank — for money
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bank — for money
  5. spell — magic
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. current — of water
  9. spell — letters
  10. rule — a law
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. club — a group
  14. sharp — clever
  15. current — electric
  16. key — the most important part
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bank — of a river
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. club — for golf
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rule — government
  23. current — happening now
  24. key — in music

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