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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. shower — rain
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. staff — a stick
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wake — a trail
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. bound — tied together
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. club — for dancing
  13. shower — to wash
  14. club — for golf
  15. present — there
  16. staff — employees
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bound — obliged
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bound — certain
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. staff — employees

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