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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ground — a position
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. tear — from crying
  8. club — for golf
  9. ground — crushed
  10. firm — decided
  11. court — of a king
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. tear — to rip
  14. court — of law
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tear — from crying
  21. court — for sport
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — in a race

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