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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.

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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: row · bound · hide · current · racket · leaves · staff · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bound — obliged
  3. current — happening now
  4. row — to paddle
  5. current — electric
  6. bound — tied together
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bound — certain
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. staff — employees
  14. current — of water
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. staff — a stick
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. staff — employees
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. row — a line
  24. leaves — of a tree

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