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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. staff — employees
  4. root — of a word
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. fall — the season
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fall — to drop
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. root — the cause
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bass — low music
  18. bank — for money
  19. kid — child
  20. bank — for money
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. bass — the fish
  24. fall — to drop

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