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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. key — in music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. key — the most important part
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. staff — employees
  8. craft — boats
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. land — ground
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. spell — letters
  13. land — a country
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. craft — a skill
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. key — for a lock
  20. land — to come down
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for dancing
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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