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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. spell — a short time
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. spell — letters
  5. club — for dancing
  6. season — of the year
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. season — in sport
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — from crying
  14. club — for golf
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. staff — employees
  17. tear — to rip
  18. spell — magic

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