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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — music
  3. club — for golf
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. club — a group
  6. pop — soda
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pop — to visit
  9. present — the time now
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chip — for betting
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. present — there
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. present — a gift
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bear — the animal
  24. dip — a sauce

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