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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. perch — the fish
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. chest — a box
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. foot — a measure
  11. chest — of your body
  12. mine — for digging
  13. club — for golf
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. chest — of your body
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mate — a friend
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. club — for dancing

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