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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — for golf
  3. net — in sport
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. club — a group
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. shower — rain
  9. mug — to rob
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mug — a face
  18. wax — to grow
  19. mug — a cup
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. shower — to wash
  24. arm — part of the body

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