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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: track · current · mug · ruler · pop · capital · club · ball

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. pop — to visit
  3. club — for golf
  4. track — a path
  5. mug — to rob
  6. current — electric
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pop — music
  11. current — of water
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. track — a song
  14. mug — a cup
  15. capital — money
  16. track — to keep track
  17. ball — a great time
  18. current — happening now
  19. capital — a city
  20. pop — soda
  21. mug — a face
  22. club — a group
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. capital — a big letter

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