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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 · suit · bay · wound · club · cell · craft · track

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. track — a song
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cell — in biology
  6. club — for golf
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wound — an injury
  12. track — a path
  13. suit — in cards
  14. track — to keep track
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. wound — an injury
  18. craft — boats
  19. club — for dancing
  20. current — electric
  21. club — a group
  22. current — happening now
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. current — of water

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