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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. club — for golf
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rest — a break
  6. club — a group
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. sharp — clever
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. rest — what's left
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rest — what's left
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. safe — out of danger

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