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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 120 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. chest — of your body
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. charge — in control
  10. club — for golf
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. chest — a box
  17. charge — a price
  18. club — for dancing
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — electricity
  24. last — to go on

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