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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 · current · saw · rule · leaves · rash · jam · pitcher

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. current — happening now
  4. saw — the tool
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. current — electric
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. club — for golf
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. saw — the tool
  15. current — of water
  16. rule — a law
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. club — a group
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. rash — a series
  24. rule — government

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