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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. last — to go on
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. suit — clothes
  9. last — finally
  10. bass — the fish
  11. last — final
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bass — low music
  19. club — for golf
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bore — to tire

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