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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. current — electric
  4. key — in music
  5. current — happening now
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bound — tied together
  8. club — a group
  9. bound — obliged
  10. march — the month
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. cap — of ice
  15. march — the month
  16. bound — certain
  17. club — for dancing
  18. current — of water
  19. cap — a hat
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. march — music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. club — for golf

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