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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 120 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. ball — a dance
  3. firm — a company
  4. cue — for pool
  5. land — a country
  6. current — electric
  7. club — for dancing
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. band — a ring
  11. land — ground
  12. current — happening now
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. cue — a hint
  15. current — of water
  16. club — a group
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. band — a music group
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. club — for golf
  23. cue — a signal
  24. ball — a great time

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