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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. rest — what's left
  5. suit — clothes
  6. firm — decided
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. staff — employees
  9. board — to get on
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. firm — steady
  12. rest — a break
  13. suit — to fit
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rush — hurry
  16. staff — employees
  17. board — a committee
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. club — for dancing
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rest — what's left

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