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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · club · current · mug · dip · pound · racket · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mug — a cup
  4. current — of water
  5. pound — a weight
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. land — ground
  9. dip — to sink
  10. land — to come down
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mug — a face
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mug — to rob
  18. club — for golf
  19. current — happening now
  20. club — a group
  21. current — electric
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pound — to hit hard

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