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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · cap · hand · cell · club · arm · object · current

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. cap — a hat
  3. current — of water
  4. club — for golf
  5. mug — a face
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mug — a cup
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cell — in biology
  13. current — electric
  14. object — a thing
  15. mug — to rob
  16. club — a group
  17. hand — in cards
  18. club — for dancing
  19. object — to protest
  20. cell — a phone
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. object — an aim
  23. hand — help
  24. cap — of ice

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