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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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. season — of the year
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. suit — in cards
  5. club — a group
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bound — certain
  10. suit — to fit
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. season — in sport
  14. charge — a price
  15. club — for dancing
  16. suit — clothes
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bound — obliged
  23. charge — in control
  24. bound — tied together

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