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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pit — a hole
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fine — high quality
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bore — to tire
  18. club — for golf
  19. degree — from a university
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fine — all right
  22. degree — temperature
  23. present — a gift
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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