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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 120 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: fan · cap · club · mate · current · bat · fine · temple

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. current — electric
  3. mate — to breed
  4. current — of water
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cap — of ice
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mate — a friend
  18. current — happening now
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. temple — a place of worship

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