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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. bat — the animal
  5. march — the month
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. club — a group
  9. march — music
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. object — to protest
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ball — a great time
  18. club — for dancing
  19. march — the month
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — in control
  24. bat — for baseball

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