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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — a phone
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rash — a series
  8. dip — to sink
  9. court — for sport
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. club — for dancing
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mark — a trace
  15. court — of law
  16. squash — to crush
  17. court — of a king
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. club — for golf
  23. rash — hasty
  24. fan — to cool the air

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