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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitch — completely
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. club — for golf
  6. march — the month
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. foot — a measure
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ground — a position
  12. club — for dancing
  13. ground — crushed
  14. march — music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. club — a group
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. staff — employees
  20. current — electric
  21. march — the month
  22. ground — the earth
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. staff — employees

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