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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: bass · ruler · plane · club · clip · current · season · mug

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. current — electric
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. current — happening now
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mug — a cup
  8. clip — to cut
  9. season — of the year
  10. current — of water
  11. bass — low music
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. clip — a video
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. club — a group
  17. mug — a face
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bass — the fish
  22. season — in sport
  23. clip — for paper
  24. mug — to rob

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