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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bass — low music
  4. season — of the year
  5. cue — for pool
  6. club — a group
  7. mug — to rob
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bass — the fish
  10. land — ground
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cell — a phone
  16. season — in sport
  17. club — for dancing
  18. mug — a face
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. land — a country
  23. mug — a cup
  24. land — to come down

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