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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — all right
  4. club — a group
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pit — a hole
  10. face — to point toward
  11. dip — to sink
  12. club — for dancing
  13. land — to come down
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pit — in a race
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bear — the animal
  22. land — a country
  23. face — to confront
  24. land — ground

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