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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for dancing
  3. tube — a container
  4. saw — the tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. toast — bread
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. track — a song
  17. pass — a permit
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. tube — the underground
  21. track — a path
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. club — for golf
  24. toast — the most admired

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