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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. current — electric
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. swing — in golf
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. swing — music
  9. row — a line
  10. club — a group
  11. craft — a skill
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mark — a trace
  14. club — for dancing
  15. current — happening now
  16. swing — to play on
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. current — of water
  20. craft — boats
  21. club — for golf
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. leaves — lets stay

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