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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: cabinet · pop · season · temple · trunk · current · snap · club

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. club — a group
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. season — of the year
  6. current — electric
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. current — of water
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. club — for dancing
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. snap — to click
  16. current — happening now
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. club — for golf
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pop — music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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