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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. root — of a plant
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rock — music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. firm — steady
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. club — for golf
  14. firm — decided
  15. perch — the fish
  16. root — of a word
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. root — the cause
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — a company
  24. rock — a 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