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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: kick · fan · club · cap · nail · current · bark · deal

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cap — a lid
  5. club — for dancing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cap — of ice
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. current — of water
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. deal — to handle
  12. current — electric
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. current — happening now
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cap — a hat
  20. club — for golf
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. club — a group
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. deal — an agreement

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