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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. club — a group
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pit — in a race
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bass — the fish
  10. club — for golf
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pit — a hole
  14. object — a thing
  15. bass — low music
  16. club — for dancing
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. object — to protest
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — an aim

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