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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cell — in biology
  3. can — a tin
  4. cell — a phone
  5. club — for golf
  6. key — the most important part
  7. march — the month
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. club — for dancing
  13. key — in music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. march — the month
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. march — music
  24. safe — out of danger

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