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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bass — low music
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. can — to be able to
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. spring — a coil
  10. can — a tin
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. rush — hurry
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bass — the fish
  20. spring — of water
  21. swing — music
  22. spring — the season
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. can — a tin

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