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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. court — for sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. dip — to sink
  10. court — of a king
  11. craft — boats
  12. pit — in a race
  13. swing — in golf
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. swing — to play on
  16. craft — a skill
  17. court — of law
  18. swing — music
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stand — to bear
  21. net — in sport
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — for dancing
  24. net — after costs

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