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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bound — tied together
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. rest — a break
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bound — certain
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fall — the season
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. bear — the animal
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fall — to drop

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