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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. club — a group
  3. band — a ring
  4. current — happening now
  5. file — a line of people
  6. current — of water
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. file — a tool
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. file — a document
  15. club — for dancing
  16. band — a music group
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. current — electric
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. club — for golf
  22. suit — in cards
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. suit — clothes

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