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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — a group
  3. mug — a face
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bulb — for light
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mug — a cup
  20. last — finally
  21. last — final
  22. last — to go on
  23. mug — to rob
  24. march — the month

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