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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · club · season · rush · march · current · plane · fan

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. club — for golf
  3. march — the month
  4. club — for dancing
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. plane — a tool
  10. current — of water
  11. march — music
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. current — electric
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. club — a group
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mark — a grade
  23. march — the month
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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