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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for golf
  3. ball — a dance
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. toast — bread
  6. field — for sport
  7. fall — the season
  8. firm — steady
  9. field — a subject
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. field — farmland
  12. season — in sport
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ball — a great time
  16. club — for dancing
  17. firm — decided
  18. season — of the year
  19. firm — a company
  20. fall — to drop
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. fall — to drop
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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