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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. fine — high quality
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. club — for golf
  10. chip — for betting
  11. mate — a partner
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mate — to breed
  14. swing — in golf
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pound — a weight
  19. mate — a friend
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. fine — all right

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