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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: firm · fork · current · club · can · suit · roll · rule

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. suit — in cards
  3. current — happening now
  4. firm — a company
  5. current — electric
  6. firm — steady
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rule — government
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — to fit
  12. can — a tin
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. roll — a list
  16. suit — clothes
  17. current — of water
  18. rule — a law
  19. fork — in a road
  20. club — a group
  21. can — to be able to
  22. firm — decided
  23. club — for golf
  24. rule — to rule out

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