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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. field — for sport
  3. pop — soda
  4. pitch — completely
  5. object — a thing
  6. field — farmland
  7. capital — money
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. club — a group
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. charge — a price
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. object — an aim
  14. pop — to visit
  15. capital — a city
  16. pop — music
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. object — to protest
  20. field — a subject
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. club — for dancing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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