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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 120 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — for dancing
  3. root — of a word
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. track — to keep track
  6. root — the cause
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. track — a path
  20. root — of a plant
  21. track — a song
  22. club — a group
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cap — a hat

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