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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. squash — to crush
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. charge — in control
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. suit — to fit
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — the earth
  16. charge — a price
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. club — for golf
  23. charge — electricity
  24. club — a group

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