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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. club — for golf
  5. scale — in music
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fork — in a road
  8. scale — size or range
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. ball — a dance
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. club — a group
  16. ball — a great time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. fork — a garden tool

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