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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. band — a ring
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. can — to be able to
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. club — for dancing
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. can — a tin
  15. bore — to tire
  16. club — for golf
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. can — a tin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. fork — in a road

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