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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. band — a ring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. club — a group
  5. rest — a break
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ground — crushed
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. band — a music group
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — the earth
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cue — a hint
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. club — for golf
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. club — for dancing
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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