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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rash — a series
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. cue — a hint
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rest — a break
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rest — what's left
  15. swing — music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rash — hasty
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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