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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. snap — to click
  5. pit — a hole
  6. prune — to trim
  7. firm — steady
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. toast — bread
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pit — in a race
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. prune — to trim
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. cap — a lid
  21. club — a group
  22. firm — decided
  23. club — for golf
  24. firm — a company

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