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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 120 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. land — a country
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. club — a group
  7. craft — boats
  8. club — for dancing
  9. land — ground
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. kick — in football
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. land — to come down
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. race — the arms race
  19. deal — to handle
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — humankind
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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