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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 120 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. ground — the earth
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. club — for dancing
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. ground — crushed
  15. rush — hurry
  16. tube — the underground
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ground — a position
  19. club — a group
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. tube — a container
  22. pound — a weight
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. leaves — lets stay

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