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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rash — a series
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. dip — to sink
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. club — a group
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. tear — from crying
  13. press — to push
  14. tear — to rip
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. suit — clothes
  17. club — for dancing
  18. suit — to fit
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rash — hasty
  23. tear — from crying
  24. press — newspapers

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