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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. staff — employees
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. club — for golf
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. club — for dancing
  13. rush — hurry
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. degree — from a university
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. date — on the calendar

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