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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. club — a group
  4. track — to keep track
  5. key — the most important part
  6. wound — an injury
  7. club — for dancing
  8. key — in music
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stem — to come from
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. track — a path
  14. charge — in control
  15. track — a song
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wound — an injury
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. charge — a price

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