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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. club — for dancing
  4. pop — soda
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. club — a group
  8. present — there
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. content — the amount
  11. present — the time now
  12. season — of the year
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. present — a gift
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. season — in sport
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. club — for golf
  23. pop — music
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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