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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. net — in sport
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. current — of water
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. capital — a city
  8. mark — a grade
  9. current — electric
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. club — a group
  12. net — for catching
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mark — a trace
  18. club — for dancing
  19. net — after costs
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. current — happening now
  22. capital — money
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mark — to pay attention

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