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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 120 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. ground — crushed
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ground — the earth
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stock — goods
  11. fine — high quality
  12. club — a group
  13. kick — in football
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fine — all right
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stock — shares
  19. track — a song
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. ground — a position
  22. march — the month
  23. track — a path
  24. kick — with a leg

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