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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pop — music
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pop — to visit
  6. current — happening now
  7. board — to get on
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. board — a committee
  12. net — for catching
  13. club — a group
  14. net — after costs
  15. current — electric
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. current — of water
  18. tear — from crying
  19. net — in sport
  20. pop — soda
  21. club — for golf
  22. foot — a measure
  23. tear — to rip
  24. foot — part of the body

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