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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mug — a face
  4. rash — a series
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bound — obliged
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pop — music
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. club — a group
  14. branch — a division
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pop — soda
  18. club — for golf
  19. mug — to rob
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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