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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — for dancing
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. club — a group
  12. key — in music
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. key — the most important part
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to drill
  21. key — for a lock
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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