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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: rash · row · mine · foot · club · season · face · current

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. current — happening now
  4. face — to confront
  5. mine — for digging
  6. foot — a measure
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. current — of water
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. face — to point toward
  11. club — for golf
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. season — of the year
  16. current — electric
  17. face — part of the head
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. season — in sport
  20. rash — hasty
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. rash — a series
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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