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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. land — to come down
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mark — a trace
  6. march — the month
  7. current — of water
  8. club — for dancing
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. current — happening now
  11. club — for golf
  12. march — music
  13. mark — a grade
  14. club — a group
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. current — electric
  17. land — a country
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. land — ground
  23. march — the month
  24. racket — for tennis

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