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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. club — for golf
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rule — government
  9. club — a group
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. key — in music
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. stand — to bear
  15. club — for dancing
  16. rule — a law
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. key — the most important part
  19. suit — clothes
  20. key — for a lock
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. season — in sport
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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