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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. club — a group
  3. saw — the tool
  4. suit — to fit
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pop — music
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. suit — clothes
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. club — for golf
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. cell — in biology
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pop — soda
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pop — to visit
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cell — a phone
  24. pitcher — a jug

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