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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. fork — in a road
  3. last — finally
  4. current — happening now
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. club — a group
  10. last — final
  11. current — electric
  12. lean — thin
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. club — for golf
  17. march — music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. march — the month
  21. last — to go on
  22. march — the month
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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