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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. drill — army training
  3. craft — a skill
  4. kick — in football
  5. key — the most important part
  6. club — a group
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. drill — a practice
  10. craft — boats
  11. spell — magic
  12. club — for dancing
  13. drill — the tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. spell — a short time
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. track — a path
  20. key — in music
  21. spell — letters
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. key — for a lock

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