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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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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: leaves · club · dip · object · pitch · mouse · tube · current

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for golf
  3. current — electric
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. current — happening now
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. tube — a container
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. object — to protest
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. club — for dancing
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. current — of water
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. object — an aim
  24. mouse — for a computer

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