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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. firm — decided
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — in a road
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. firm — a company
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. firm — steady
  15. club — for dancing
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. club — a group
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mug — a face
  22. scale — in music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fork — a garden tool

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