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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. mark — a grade
  3. charge — a price
  4. cap — of ice
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. charge — in control
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. club — for golf
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. charge — electricity
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. mine — for digging
  22. cap — a lid
  23. prune — to trim
  24. club — for dancing

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