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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. club — for golf
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. press — to push
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. pound — a weight
  11. field — farmland
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. field — for sport
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. press — a publisher
  20. club — for dancing
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. field — a subject
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. club — a group

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