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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. club — for golf
  6. ground — crushed
  7. spell — magic
  8. ground — a position
  9. firm — a company
  10. rash — hasty
  11. ground — the earth
  12. firm — steady
  13. plane — a tool
  14. firm — decided
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rash — a series
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. tube — a container

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