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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. club — for golf
  3. wound — an injury
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mug — a cup
  6. club — a group
  7. suit — in cards
  8. craft — boats
  9. wound — an injury
  10. club — for dancing
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mug — to rob
  17. roll — a list
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mug — a face
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. roll — a cake
  24. suit — to fit

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