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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. current — happening now
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. content — the amount
  7. club — for dancing
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. current — of water
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. club — for golf
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pound — a weight
  15. current — electric
  16. board — a committee
  17. tear — to rip
  18. content — happy
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. board — to get on
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. tear — from crying
  23. club — a group
  24. tear — from crying

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