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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. club — for golf
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. game — wild animals
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. game — a match
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. club — a group
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mouse — the animal

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