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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. club — for golf
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. tear — to rip
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. track — a song
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rock — music
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. club — a group
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. track — a path
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — to shout
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rock — a stone

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