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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. key — in music
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. swing — to play on
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. sharp — clever
  9. race — humankind
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. race — the arms race
  13. key — for a lock
  14. swing — music
  15. club — for dancing
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. club — a group
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. net — for catching
  22. race — a contest
  23. key — the most important part
  24. swing — in golf

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