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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 120 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. spring — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. spring — a coil
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. spring — the season
  9. club — a group
  10. fine — high quality
  11. current — of water
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. content — the amount
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fine — all right
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. current — happening now
  20. fork — in a road
  21. club — for dancing
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. content — happy
  24. mouse — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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