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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. club — for golf
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — of law
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. court — for sport
  15. pound — a weight
  16. club — for dancing
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fall — to drop
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. club — a group
  23. band — a rubber band
  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