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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rash — hasty
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wound — an injury
  9. charge — a price
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. drill — army training
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. charge — in control
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. row — a line
  20. drill — a practice
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — for golf
  23. rash — a series
  24. charge — electricity

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