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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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kid — child
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. kid — to tease
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. perch — the fish
  19. club — for dancing
  20. stand — to bear
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. club — a group
  23. rush — hurry
  24. temple — a place of worship

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