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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bank — for money
  6. current — of water
  7. net — in sport
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bat — the animal
  11. track — a song
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cue — a hint
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bank — of a river
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bank — for money
  18. club — for golf
  19. track — a path
  20. current — happening now
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. cue — a signal
  23. current — electric
  24. track — to keep track

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