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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: suit · club · perch · ground · rock · current · game · jam

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. current — happening now
  3. suit — in cards
  4. perch — the fish
  5. club — a group
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. club — for dancing
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. game — wild animals
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ground — a position
  17. current — of water
  18. rock — music
  19. club — for golf
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — electric
  22. rock — a stone
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. suit — to fit

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