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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mug — a face
  3. staff — employees
  4. club — a group
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rock — music
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. content — happy
  10. club — for golf
  11. content — the amount
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mug — to rob
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. club — for dancing
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. staff — employees
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pitch — a sports field

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