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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. prune — to trim
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. rash — a series
  9. pass — a permit
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. rush — hurry
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. chair — a leader
  17. dip — to sink
  18. prune — to trim
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rush — to hurry

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