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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. club — a group
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rock — a stone
  9. foot — a measure
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. snap — to click
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. firm — steady
  14. date — the fruit
  15. club — for golf
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. firm — decided
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rock — music
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. club — for dancing

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