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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — for golf
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rock — music
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. drill — a practice
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. club — a group
  15. drill — the tool
  16. squash — to crush
  17. foot — a measure
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. drill — army training
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. squash — the sport
  24. racket — a loud noise

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