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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 116 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. charge — a price
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. can — a tin
  6. bass — low music
  7. can — a tin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — in control
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. can — to be able to
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. club — a group
  24. nail — on a finger

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