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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. current — of water
  4. pit — a hole
  5. season — of the year
  6. pit — in a race
  7. current — electric
  8. cell — a phone
  9. current — happening now
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. club — for golf
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. board — a committee
  14. season — in sport
  15. stem — to come from
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cell — in biology
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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