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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — in a race
  4. kid — child
  5. key — in music
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. club — for dancing
  9. craft — boats
  10. key — the most important part
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. club — a group
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. kid — to tease
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. craft — a skill

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