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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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. swing — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rest — what's left
  9. court — of law
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. club — for golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. can — a tin
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. court — for sport
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. court — of a king

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