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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. drill — army training
  3. mate — to breed
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mate — a partner
  6. track — a path
  7. drill — a practice
  8. club — for golf
  9. saw — the tool
  10. net — after costs
  11. bulb — for light
  12. net — in sport
  13. drill — the tool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. club — for dancing
  16. net — for catching
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mate — a friend
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. track — a song

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