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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rush — hurry
  4. track — to keep track
  5. prune — to trim
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mate — a friend
  11. suit — clothes
  12. club — for golf
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. prune — to trim
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mate — to breed
  18. track — a song
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. track — a path
  23. mate — a partner
  24. club — a group

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