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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cell — in biology
  8. degree — temperature
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. drill — the tool
  16. degree — an amount
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — army training
  19. club — a group
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. can — a tin
  22. toast — bread
  23. club — for golf
  24. degree — from a university

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