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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. club — a group
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stock — shares
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bass — low music
  23. stock — goods
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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