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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — finally
  3. club — for golf
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. staff — employees
  9. club — a group
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. current — electric
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pop — soda
  17. lean — thin
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pop — music
  20. last — to go on
  21. lean — to bend
  22. staff — employees
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. club — for dancing

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