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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rash — a series
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. tube — a container
  12. mug — a face
  13. rash — hasty
  14. club — for golf
  15. mug — to rob
  16. tube — the underground
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cabinet — ministers

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