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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. hand — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. club — a group
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. hand — help
  11. snap — to click
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rush — hurry
  21. club — for golf
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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