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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. perch — the fish
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. club — for golf
  8. charge — in control
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. charge — electricity
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. key — in music
  20. club — for dancing
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bear — the animal
  23. charge — a price
  24. bear — to put up with

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