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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. club — for golf
  3. cap — of ice
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. track — a path
  6. pop — to visit
  7. club — for dancing
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cap — a lid
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. track — a song
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pop — music
  19. snap — to click
  20. club — a group
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pop — soda

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