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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: staff · pit · saw · club · bound · pop · current · cap

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cap — a lid
  3. current — electric
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pop — to visit
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pop — music
  8. current — of water
  9. staff — a stick
  10. club — for dancing
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bound — certain
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. pit — a hole
  19. current — happening now
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pit — in a race
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — a group
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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