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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bound — obliged
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bound — certain
  10. rush — hurry
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rash — a series
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. deal — to handle
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. cap — a lid
  18. club — a group
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cap — a hat
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. foot — a measure

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