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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. club — for golf
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. club — a group
  6. charge — in control
  7. rest — a break
  8. charge — a price
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. kid — child
  14. mug — a cup
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. kid — to tease
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mug — a face

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