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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rule — government
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. club — a group
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rule — a law
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. band — a music group
  23. mark — a grade
  24. band — a ring

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