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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. club — a group
  3. current — electric
  4. swing — music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. current — happening now
  8. swing — to play on
  9. perch — the fish
  10. current — of water
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. swing — in golf
  16. plane — a tool
  17. club — for dancing
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. club — for golf

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