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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 124 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. current — electric
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. land — ground
  5. deal — to handle
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. object — a thing
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. current — of water
  14. object — an aim
  15. bound — certain
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. land — to come down
  19. current — happening now
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — obliged
  22. object — to protest
  23. land — a country
  24. wave — of the sea

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