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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — a group
  3. face — part of the head
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. current — happening now
  9. face — to point toward
  10. hand — help
  11. pit — a hole
  12. club — for golf
  13. press — to push
  14. current — of water
  15. face — to confront
  16. current — electric
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — a publisher
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pit — in a race
  21. press — newspapers
  22. shower — rain
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. shower — to wash

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