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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. land — a country
  4. capital — a city
  5. swing — music
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. club — a group
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. capital — money
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. land — ground
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. swing — to play on
  21. current — of water
  22. club — for golf
  23. swing — in golf
  24. club — for dancing

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