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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 120 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. march — the month
  5. board — to get on
  6. pop — music
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. club — a group
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. perch — the fish
  12. march — the month
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pop — soda
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — for dancing
  17. board — a committee
  18. march — music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pop — to visit
  24. lash — to lash out

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