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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — a country
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. branch — a division
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. land — ground
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. land — to come down
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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