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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 116 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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. perch — the fish
  4. club — a group
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. club — for golf
  10. season — of the year
  11. mug — a face
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. key — in music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mug — to rob
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. club — for dancing
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ball — a dance
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. season — in sport

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