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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. row — to paddle
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. row — a line
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fine — all right
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. spell — letters
  13. pit — in a race
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. cap — a hat
  20. spell — magic
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cap — a lid

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