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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bound — obliged
  3. can — a tin
  4. march — the month
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. can — a tin
  7. march — the month
  8. club — a group
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. club — for dancing
  11. can — to be able to
  12. march — music
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bound — certain
  18. snap — to click
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bound — tied together
  24. safe — out of danger

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