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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mug — a face
  3. club — for dancing
  4. last — final
  5. net — after costs
  6. last — to go on
  7. club — for golf
  8. rock — music
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cue — a signal
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mug — to rob
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. net — for catching
  16. mug — a cup
  17. cue — for pool
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. net — in sport
  20. last — finally
  21. cue — a hint
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. club — a group

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