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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. march — the month
  3. current — happening now
  4. club — for dancing
  5. staff — a stick
  6. current — of water
  7. staff — employees
  8. club — for golf
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pitch — completely
  12. staff — employees
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. craft — boats
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. branch — a division
  18. march — music
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bulb — for light
  22. march — the month
  23. club — a group
  24. craft — a skill

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