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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mug — to rob
  6. club — a group
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. court — of law
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. court — for sport
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pop — music
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. key — for a lock
  19. court — of a king
  20. pop — soda
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. mug — a face

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