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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wake — a trail
  5. club — for dancing
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fine — high quality
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. club — for golf
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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