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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fall — to drop
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pop — to visit
  6. sharp — clever
  7. club — a group
  8. ground — the earth
  9. club — for dancing
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bulb — for light
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fall — the season
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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