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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. club — for golf
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. row — to paddle
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. club — for dancing
  10. toast — bread
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. club — a group
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. drill — the tool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. last — to go on

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