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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. net — for catching
  3. cap — a lid
  4. club — for golf
  5. net — after costs
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. season — of the year
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — a cake
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. season — in sport
  13. lie — to recline
  14. current — of water
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. net — in sport
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. current — electric
  23. club — for dancing
  24. current — happening now

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