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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — a group
  3. can — to be able to
  4. firm — decided
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. firm — steady
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — to protest
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. spell — a short time
  13. prune — to trim
  14. roll — a list
  15. object — a thing
  16. can — a tin
  17. roll — a cake
  18. spell — magic
  19. object — an aim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. spell — letters
  23. club — for dancing
  24. firm — a company

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