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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wake — a trail
  5. drill — a practice
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. charge — in control
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. charge — electricity
  11. club — for dancing
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. drill — army training
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. club — a group
  20. charge — a price
  21. deal — to handle
  22. drill — the tool
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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