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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. face — to confront
  3. rash — a series
  4. club — for golf
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rush — hurry
  7. club — a group
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. stock — goods
  13. staff — employees
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. staff — a stick
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. staff — employees
  18. stock — shares
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. face — part of the head
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bowl — to roll

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