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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 120 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. current — happening now
  3. club — for dancing
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. current — electric
  7. rest — a break
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. squash — the sport
  11. current — of water
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. perch — the fish
  14. club — for golf
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rest — what's left
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — a committee
  19. squash — to crush
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. board — to get on
  23. rest — what's left
  24. club — a group

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