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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rash — a series
  3. board — a committee
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a document
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. court — of law
  9. club — for golf
  10. staff — a stick
  11. court — of a king
  12. tube — a container
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rash — hasty
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. court — for sport
  21. tube — the underground
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. club — for dancing

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