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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for dancing
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bore — to drill
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. court — of law
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rash — a series
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. court — of a king
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. stock — shares
  16. court — for sport
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bore — to tire
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. club — for golf
  21. stock — goods
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. trunk — of a car

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