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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bass — low music
  4. mug — a face
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. cell — a phone
  8. tube — the underground
  9. club — for golf
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mug — to rob
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bass — the fish
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. tube — a container

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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