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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 116 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. last — final
  3. squash — to crush
  4. net — for catching
  5. present — the time now
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. last — to go on
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. squash — the sport
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. present — there
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. net — after costs
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. present — a gift
  18. net — in sport
  19. club — a group
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. last — finally
  23. club — for golf
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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