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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. staff — a stick
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. band — a ring
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — boats
  7. club — for golf
  8. snap — to click
  9. craft — a skill
  10. press — a publisher
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. press — to push
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. press — newspapers
  16. can — to be able to
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. can — a tin
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. staff — employees
  22. band — a music group
  23. staff — employees
  24. club — a group

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