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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 124 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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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. chest — of your body
  4. pass — a permit
  5. root — of a word
  6. chest — of your body
  7. root — the cause
  8. staff — employees
  9. mug — to rob
  10. file — a line of people
  11. club — for dancing
  12. chest — a box
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. file — a tool
  15. mug — a face
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mark — a trace
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. file — a document
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. root — of a plant

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