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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. field — for sport
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pop — music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. court — for sport
  8. field — farmland
  9. club — for golf
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. field — a subject
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pop — soda
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitch — completely
  18. court — of law
  19. pop — to visit
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. court — of a king
  22. club — for dancing
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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