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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. spell — letters
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a great time
  10. chair — a leader
  11. ball — a dance
  12. spell — magic
  13. fall — to drop
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fall — the season
  16. club — a group
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. club — for dancing
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bulb — for light
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fall — to drop

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