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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rule — government
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pit — a hole
  12. toast — bread
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rule — a law
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pound — for dogs

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