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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pop — music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mug — a face
  7. club — for golf
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. club — a group
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. court — of law
  14. court — for sport
  15. mug — to rob
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mug — a cup
  19. club — for dancing
  20. row — a line
  21. court — of a king
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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