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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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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: hide · dip · court · club · can · bowl · band · current

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. club — a group
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. current — happening now
  8. band — a music group
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. club — for golf
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. court — of a king
  18. can — to be able to
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. can — a tin
  22. dip — to sink
  23. can — a tin
  24. band — a ring

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