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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. club — for dancing
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mug — to rob
  5. current — of water
  6. spell — a short time
  7. track — a song
  8. current — happening now
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mug — a face
  11. club — a group
  12. spell — letters
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. current — electric
  15. spell — magic
  16. foot — a measure
  17. press — to push
  18. club — for golf
  19. press — a publisher
  20. track — to keep track
  21. press — newspapers
  22. mug — a cup
  23. track — a path
  24. foot — the bottom

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