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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. swing — music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. club — a group
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. swing — in golf
  9. track — a song
  10. swing — to play on
  11. club — for golf
  12. can — a tin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. toast — bread
  17. can — to be able to
  18. track — a path
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. track — to keep track
  22. can — a tin
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bore — to drill

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