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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. club — for golf
  3. drill — army training
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. club — for dancing
  7. march — the month
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. perch — the fish
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — a practice
  12. march — music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stand — to bear
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. club — a group
  18. foot — a measure
  19. march — the month
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. prune — to trim
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. perch — for a bird

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