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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 124 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — for golf
  4. current — electric
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. march — music
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. march — the month
  13. club — a group
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. current — of water
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. current — happening now
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. march — the month
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bowl — a football final

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