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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. club — a group
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bear — the animal
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. club — for golf
  10. staff — a stick
  11. club — for dancing
  12. staff — employees
  13. rash — a series
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. staff — employees
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. snap — to click
  24. bear — to put up with

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