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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. season — in sport
  4. chest — of your body
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. club — for dancing
  8. deal — to handle
  9. ball — a great time
  10. suit — to fit
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — in cards
  13. chest — a box
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. club — for golf
  17. suit — clothes
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ball — a dance
  21. chest — of your body
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. season — of the year

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