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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — a group
  3. lean — thin
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. staff — a stick
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bound — obliged
  15. club — for dancing
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. staff — employees
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bound — tied together
  23. staff — employees
  24. sharp — clever

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