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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: club · fan · last · current · saw · arm · chip · suit

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. club — for dancing
  6. chip — to eat
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. club — for golf
  11. saw — the tool
  12. suit — clothes
  13. club — a group
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — electric
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. last — to go on
  18. current — happening now
  19. last — finally
  20. current — of water
  21. chip — for betting
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. last — final

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