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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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. club — for dancing
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. club — a group
  7. pitch — completely
  8. wind — moving air
  9. firm — a company
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bound — obliged
  12. current — happening now
  13. kid — to tease
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. firm — decided
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. firm — steady
  19. bound — tied together
  20. current — of water
  21. club — for golf
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. current — electric
  24. bound — certain

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