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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. club — for dancing
  4. can — a tin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. cell — in biology
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. club — a group
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. deal — to handle
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. cell — a phone

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