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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mug — to rob
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bound — obliged
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. club — for golf
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bound — certain
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. club — a group
  19. shower — rain
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mug — a face
  24. chair — to sit on

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