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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 120 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. net — in sport
  8. club — for golf
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. deal — to handle
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. current — electric
  16. swing — to play on
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. swing — music
  19. club — a group
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. net — for catching
  24. club — for dancing

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