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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. club — for golf
  8. cold — an illness
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cold — not warm
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. dip — to sink
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. scale — in music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. club — for dancing
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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