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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. club — a group
  3. wake — a trail
  4. rest — a break
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. rest — what's left
  8. root — of a word
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rash — a series
  11. mate — a friend
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. club — for golf
  15. rash — hasty
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. club — for dancing

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