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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. rock — music
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pass — a permit
  6. suit — to fit
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a document
  9. club — a group
  10. bulb — for light
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. chest — a box
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rock — a stone
  21. club — for dancing
  22. file — a tool
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. chest — of your 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