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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rock — a stone
  3. club — for golf
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. ball — a great time
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. band — a ring
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rock — music
  18. band — a music group
  19. current — of water
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rock — to move gently

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