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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. squash — the sport
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. current — of water
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. club — a group
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. club — for golf
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. board — to get on
  15. current — electric
  16. game — a match
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. squash — to crush
  19. game — wild animals
  20. board — a committee
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. current — happening now

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