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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mate — a partner
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rule — government
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wake — a trail
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rule — a law
  18. club — for golf
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bore — to tire
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. mate — to breed
  24. prune — to trim

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