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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. club — a group
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. swing — music
  5. staff — employees
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. current — electric
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. current — of water
  10. staff — a stick
  11. club — for dancing
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. current — happening now
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. club — for golf
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fork — in a road
  23. staff — employees
  24. swing — in golf

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