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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. club — a group
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. club — for golf
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. club — for dancing
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fine — all right
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. fine — high quality
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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