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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — a group
  3. mug — a face
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mug — to rob
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. tube — a container
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mug — a cup
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. staff — a stick
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rock — a stone
  21. staff — employees
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. staff — employees
  24. rock — music

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