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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: current · perch · can · club · bore · season · chest · deal

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bore — to tire
  3. deal — to handle
  4. perch — the fish
  5. chest — of your body
  6. current — happening now
  7. bore — to drill
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. chest — of your body
  11. club — for dancing
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. club — a group
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. season — of the year
  16. chest — a box
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. club — for golf
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. can — a tin
  24. perch — for a bird

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