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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — to be able to
  6. court — of law
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rest — a break
  9. club — for golf
  10. squash — to crush
  11. scale — size or range
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tear — to rip
  15. can — a tin
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of a king
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. cue — for pool
  20. club — for dancing
  21. can — a tin
  22. scale — in music
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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