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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. shower — rain
  3. wake — a trail
  4. suit — in cards
  5. track — a path
  6. club — for golf
  7. track — to keep track
  8. cue — for pool
  9. snap — to click
  10. suit — to fit
  11. track — a song
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. shower — to wash
  17. suit — clothes
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cue — a signal
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. club — a group
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. temple — a place of worship

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