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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. club — for golf
  3. toast — bread
  4. lean — thin
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. club — for dancing
  9. net — in sport
  10. rash — a series
  11. club — a group
  12. fine — high quality
  13. lean — to bend
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. net — after costs
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fine — all right
  22. current — of water
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rash — hasty

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