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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. row — a line
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. club — for golf
  6. last — final
  7. row — to paddle
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. club — a group
  13. last — to go on
  14. squash — to crush
  15. current — of water
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. club — for dancing
  24. last — finally

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