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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rush — hurry
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. club — for dancing
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. face — to point toward
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. craft — a skill
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — to handle
  15. club — a group
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mark — a grade
  20. craft — boats
  21. tube — a container
  22. face — to confront
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rush — a thrill

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