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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. dip — to sink
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. club — for golf
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. object — an aim
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. object — to protest
  17. club — for dancing
  18. object — a thing
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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