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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bound — obliged
  6. club — for golf
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bass — the fish
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. can — a tin
  14. bass — low music
  15. can — a tin
  16. track — a song
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. bound — certain
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. track — a path
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. toast — bread
  24. pit — a hole

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