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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. track — a song
  5. band — a ring
  6. toast — bread
  7. firm — decided
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. rock — music
  11. club — for dancing
  12. firm — steady
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. tear — to rip
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. track — a path
  18. band — a music group
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. firm — a company
  21. track — to keep track
  22. tear — from crying
  23. rock — a stone
  24. tear — from crying

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