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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. club — for golf
  5. pop — music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pop — soda
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ground — the earth
  14. lean — thin
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. key — in music
  17. ground — crushed
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. club — a group
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lean — to bend
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. club — for dancing
  24. wave — with your hand

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