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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: club · net · fine · racket · foot · current · season · tear

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. fine — high quality
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. club — a group
  9. current — of water
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. net — for catching
  12. tear — from crying
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. tear — to rip
  16. current — happening now
  17. club — for golf
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. season — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. tear — from crying
  22. net — in sport
  23. club — for dancing
  24. current — electric

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