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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mug — to rob
  4. chest — a box
  5. net — in sport
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. club — for golf
  9. net — after costs
  10. key — in music
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mark — a grade
  13. club — for dancing
  14. key — the most important part
  15. net — for catching
  16. mug — a face
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mark — a trace
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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