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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. club — for dancing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. toast — bread
  6. wake — a trail
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rock — a stone
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. court — of law
  19. bear — the animal
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. rock — music
  23. club — for golf
  24. wake — before a funeral

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