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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. key — in music
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. club — a group
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. club — for golf
  9. game — a match
  10. rock — a stone
  11. track — a path
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rock — music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. track — a song
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. club — for dancing

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