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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. club — for golf
  7. stock — goods
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. capital — a city
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stock — shares
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. capital — money

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