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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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. last — final
  8. last — to go on
  9. present — the time now
  10. club — a group
  11. last — finally
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rest — what's left
  17. kick — in football
  18. fork — in a road
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. current — electric
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rest — a break
  24. current — happening now

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