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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 124 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. firm — decided
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — a company
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. club — a group
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. firm — steady
  15. track — a path
  16. pitch — completely
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — rain
  19. track — a song
  20. fall — the season
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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