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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. capital — money
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. club — a group
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. craft — boats
  15. capital — a city
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bass — the fish
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. craft — a skill
  23. club — for dancing
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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