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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. staff — a stick
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. mug — to rob
  9. club — for golf
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mug — a face
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mug — a cup
  15. staff — employees
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. staff — employees
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. club — a group
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wake — a trail
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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