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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pit — a hole
  3. squash — the sport
  4. wind — moving air
  5. squash — to crush
  6. stem — to come from
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. can — to be able to
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. staff — employees
  16. pit — in a race
  17. staff — employees
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. can — a tin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. club — a group
  23. can — a tin
  24. squash — the vegetable

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