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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. club — a group
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. club — for golf
  6. present — there
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. fork — in a road
  13. season — in sport
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. season — of the year
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. club — for dancing
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mug — a cup
  21. present — the time now
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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