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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. board — to get on
  3. club — for dancing
  4. deal — to handle
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wound — an injury
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — a trail
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. board — a committee
  16. foot — a measure
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. club — for golf
  21. can — to be able to
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. foot — part of the 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