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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. club — for golf
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. club — a group
  6. mug — a face
  7. drill — the tool
  8. club — for dancing
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. snap — to click
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. drill — army training
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. rock — a stone
  18. drill — a practice
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mouse — for a computer

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