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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. staff — employees
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. squash — the sport
  7. mug — a face
  8. swing — to play on
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pop — to visit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pop — music
  14. staff — employees
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mug — to rob
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. club — for dancing
  19. swing — music
  20. club — for golf
  21. staff — a stick
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pop — soda
  24. squash — the vegetable

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