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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. current — of water
  4. club — for dancing
  5. scale — in music
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. rock — a stone
  9. club — a group
  10. present — a gift
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rock — music
  15. current — happening now
  16. wake — a trail
  17. present — there
  18. mine — for digging
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. club — for golf
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. present — the time now
  24. current — electric

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