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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: suit · game · fan · season · club · bulb · wax · current

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. game — a match
  3. wax — to grow
  4. club — a group
  5. current — happening now
  6. game — wild animals
  7. season — of the year
  8. current — of water
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. season — in sport
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. current — electric
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. club — for dancing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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