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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — for golf
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. key — the most important part
  8. charge — in control
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wound — an injury
  11. charge — electricity
  12. key — in music
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. key — for a lock
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. charge — a price
  18. saw — the tool
  19. court — for sport
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. court — of law
  23. court — of a king
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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