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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 120 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. club — for golf
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. club — a group
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. scale — size or range
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. snap — to click
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. club — for dancing
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. scale — in music
  24. leaves — to go away

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