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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. club — for golf
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mug — a face
  5. spell — magic
  6. mug — to rob
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. staff — employees
  10. club — for dancing
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mug — a cup
  13. spell — letters
  14. key — for a lock
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. court — of law
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. club — a group
  19. staff — a stick
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. court — for sport
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. staff — employees
  24. court — of a king

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