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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. current — of water
  3. pop — to visit
  4. current — electric
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. club — a group
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pop — music
  9. current — happening now
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stem — to come from
  12. swing — music
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pop — soda
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. club — for golf
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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