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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — a group
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rule — government
  7. cue — a signal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rule — a law
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cue — a hint
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bulb — for light
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bulb — for light

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