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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  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 — for dancing
  2. squash — to crush
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. squash — the sport
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. club — a group
  7. face — to point toward
  8. club — for golf
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mug — to rob
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. lean — thin
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. face — to confront
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mug — a cup
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. capital — a city
  23. mug — a face
  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