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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pitch — completely
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. staff — employees
  5. club — a group
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. staff — a stick
  18. spring — the season
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spring — of water
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. spring — a coil
  24. stand — on your feet

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