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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. squash — to crush
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. drill — army training
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. club — a group
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. drill — the tool
  18. foot — a measure
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. squash — the sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. club — for golf
  24. drill — a practice

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