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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 116 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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. current — happening now
  3. wound — an injury
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wound — an injury
  8. swing — to play on
  9. current — electric
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. current — of water
  17. swing — music
  18. club — for dancing
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mouse — for a computer

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