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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. club — for dancing
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — a container
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. club — for golf
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. swing — music
  16. club — a group
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. craft — a skill
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wake — a trail
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pass — a permit
  24. trunk — of a car

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