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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. content — the amount
  3. fall — the season
  4. race — humankind
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. present — a gift
  8. content — happy
  9. present — the time now
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fall — to drop
  12. race — a contest
  13. ball — a great time
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. race — the arms race
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. present — there
  24. track — to keep track

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