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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. object — to protest
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. club — a group
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. object — a thing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chest — of your body
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. deal — to handle
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. object — an aim
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pound — a weight
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. club — for dancing
  24. chest — a box

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