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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. foot — a measure
  3. club — for dancing
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — a path
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ball — a dance
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. track — to keep track
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. track — a song
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. club — for golf
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. club — a group
  20. rock — music
  21. kick — in football
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. kick — a thrill

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